Edge of Glory
by SquirrelzAttack
Summary: It started out simple. A few words, carelessly thrown into conversation. Then the explosion came. '"Nothing I am saying appears to be penetrating your skull!" "I think I'll be on my way to find someone better."' Collab with foraworldundeserving.
1. Fight

**Hi there everyone! :)**

**Well, I got given the privilege and pleasure of writing the very first Authors Note for **_**Edge of Glory**_**. This is **_**foraworldundeserving**_**, but you can call me Sarah :) next chapter, it'll be **_**SquirrelzAttack**_** writing this and we'll alternate our way through the story in this way.**

**So, about a week ago I approached Angela with the idea of doing a collaborative story and she loved it instantly ... and then we went crazy with ideas and stuff, as we do. Of course, in writing a collab, there's a whole lot more to sort out than when writing a story alone. On top of plot, dialogue and layout (and we argued over our layouts, trust me!), there's meshing it together, double editing, who writes what, making all of our ideas work together... you get the idea. But there's nobody else I'd rather write this with - J.K. Rowling and other famous authors excepted of course ;)**

**Now, this is how it's going to work. I (**_**foraworldundeserving**_**) am Kurt. Angela (**_**SquirrelzAttack**_**) is Blaine. The layout for most chapters will be that it is split into two parts, roughly half Kurt, half Blaine, and we'll each write our respective part and then put the two together. However, on the occasion when there's a lot of dialogue between Kurt and Blaine - like this chapter for one - we'll basically role-play it out to get the dialogue (think **_**Cyberflirtations**_** which, if you haven't read it, can be found on my page). **

**We'll be updating whenever we get the time to work together and get chapters done. Angela's going away soon and I'm moving back to Australia, so we're both fairly busy, with our own stories on top of that. But this will be seen through right to the end, we both solemnly swear! And this story can be found on both of our accounts. It should be updated at the same time when it is, but you never know what might happen. So if you follow one of us and there's a long gap between updating, check the page of the other :) **

**There is a language warning, but it will only be found in Blaine's POV. That said, there's a fair bit in this chapter so fair warning. **

**If you've come from my page, welcome :) if you like what you've read here, please go check out Angela's stories. If you're one of Angela's readers, it's nice to meet you (hypothetically) and I hope you enjoy the twist I bring to her work. **

**DISCLAIMER: This covers every chapter in this story so won't be repeated. All of our work is our own, and while we may be influenced by other stories we read, we don't steal work or ideas. We also don't own Glee, Kurt, Blaine, and, to our dismay, neither Telly Leung or Riker Lynch. The only thing we own is our combined craziness that made this.**

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><p>It was the middle of exams and everybody was completely exhausted.<p>

The Warblers milled around the choir room, taking advantage of Wes's unusual absence to chat, relax and sleep. The previous week had been jam-packed, with exams every day for nearly every boy. It had even gotten to the point where Wes had cancelled practice for the week, to the absolute shock of everybody. According to David, the last time a practice had been cancelled under Wes's reign was when he had been in hospital with a broken arm, but nobody was looking a gift horse in the mouth.

Unfortunately, he hadn't been so relaxed this week and practice was on to the dismay of most. Even though there were only a few exams, all of the students still had papers due on top of studying and keeping up with new work that some of their teachers were already introducing. And it was certainly taking its toll.

Kurt stifled a yawn as he examined the room. He had come from public school, for crying out loud! Being thrown head first into a new school environment where the work was suddenly much harder and teachers actually cared if homework was turned in, meant Kurt was feeling the pressure. On top of the fact that he was missing his McKinley friends like crazy - they were busy preparing for Nationals so Kurt didn't get much time to see them either - meant that Kurt was struggling to keep everything together. At times he felt like a rubber band being stretched far too tight, any further and he was liable to snap.

Luckily he had Blaine. Even though the two hadn't seen each other very much over the past few weeks - Blaine being just as busy as him - Kurt knew his boyfriend was at least always around, and could easily drop everything if Kurt needed him to. Speaking of which -

Blaine collapsed into the couch next to him, leaning over to kiss him quickly before slumping back. "I think I could easily sleep for a week." He tipped his head back, resting it against the back of the couch and Kurt chuckled.

"Same here. So, does that mean you're too tired to take me out to dinner tomorrow night?"

Blaine's smile froze in place. "Aw, crap. Kurt, I'm so sorry, but I have some charity work that I'm doing for the orphanage tomorrow night."

Kurt felt his own smile drop a little. "Orphanage? Since when?"

"For about a month now." Blaine looked away guiltily. "I'm sorry. Can I take you out the next night?"

Kurt could see that Blaine was genuinely apologetic, but he couldn't help the irritation that rose. "That's Friday, Blaine. You know my family does Friday night dinners. And you weren't at the orphanage last Thursday or anything." He knew they had been full-on busy with exams that week, but for some reason Kurt couldn't bring himself to care. He wanted Blaine to explain.

Blaine shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Well, the exact day changes every week. Last week it was Saturday. I don't get to choose the date." He looked pleadingly at Kurt. "Can we reschedule for sometime this weekend?"

Kurt sighed. "Well, I suppose," he snarked back, well aware of how childish he was acting. "As long as that doesn't interfere with your _busy schedule_ or anything. I'm used to waiting."

The second the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them. _What are you doing? You both agreed not to bring up the past against each other! _But Kurt didn't apologize, simply waiting to see how Blaine would respond.

"Kurt." Blaine sighed. "I'm not trying to upset you, and I'm not trying to keep you waiting either. But I made a promise, and I keep my promises."

Kurt could see Blaine's 'keeping the peace' look and knew his boyfriend was starting to get irritated too. Without really knowing why, Kurt began to bait him. "Of course you do, Blaine. You wouldn't do anything less, would you? Hey, what was that you said to me when you finally got your act together and asked me out? Something about _Kurt, I promise to do whatever I can to make you happy_? Well, Blaine, being rescheduled like an unimportant meeting is _not _making me happy."

_This is stupid! _He berated himself inwardly. _Why are you trying to hurt him? You love him! _But Kurt had been on a tipping point for awhile now, he was just so _frustrated _with exams and missing his McKinley friends. He needed some way to vent his feelings, and unfortunately his boyfriend had been the one to do it.

Blaine's mouth fell open at his boyfriend's accusation. "Kurt, that's ridiculous! I don't think you're unimportant. You're the most important thing in my life right now. It's just that, with finals and everything, I have a busy schedule. And so do you! Don't blow this out of proportion. I love you. I thought I made _that_ pretty clear when you stayed in my dorm the other night."

Kurt looked around quickly to make sure nobody was paying attention. "You can't just _say _stuff like that, idiot. People are going to get the wrong idea about us. And, excuse me, blowing it _out of proportion? _I wasn't aware I wasn't allowed to express my feelings now, Mr. Kurt-you-can-tell-me-anything-and-I-won't-judge-you."

"I'm not _judging_ you!" Blaine said indignantly, frowning. "And I never said you're not allowed to express your feelings! It's just that sometimes you take things the wrong way. Like _right now_ for instance."

The rational side of Kurt's brain was shouting at him to back down and agree, because Blaine was right after all and Kurt knew it. But instead he narrowed his eyes and shot Blaine his best glare, the one usually reserved for Finn when he put his foot in it. "Oh, and how am I meant to take it, Blaine? You're rejecting me right now, thank you very much!"

Kurt knew his voice had raised and a few Warblers were looking their way curiously, but before he could do anything about it, Blaine was responding.

"I'm not _rejecting_ you, I _love_ you! Why don't you understand that?" Blaine insisted, his voice rising slightly. He took a deep breath, clearly trying to keep his temper in check. "Stop taking everything I say and twisting it around!"

"Excuse me, I'm not the one at fault here! Why are you getting pissed at me, when _all I wanted_ was for us to spend some time together? That makes me _such_ a terrible boyfriend, doesn't it?" Kurt rolled his eyes, squashing down the feeling that told him to stop. Nobody was going to tell Kurt Hummel what to do, not even himself!

He was dimly aware of the sound of a gavel banging, and knew Wes must have finally arrived. Kurt briefly toyed with the idea of telling Wes exactly where he could stick his gavel, then ignored it, continuing to glare at a frustrated Blaine.

"I _never said_ you were a terrible boyfriend!" Blaine shot back angrily. "_I_ want to spend time with _you_ too! Dammit Kurt, you're only hearing what you want to hear. Nothing I am saying appears to penetrating your skull. Why? Why are you insisting that we fight? Why can't you just accept the fact that we have conflicting schedules right now, and leave it at that?"

Kurt raised his eyebrow, knowing perfectly well it would only set Blaine off further. "You think I _want _to hear this, do you? You think I want to hear you screaming at me in front of everybody and telling me I'm stupid? And it takes two to fight, Blaine, just in case you haven't noticed. You're not exactly _not _fighting with me, are you? And I've accepted we have conflicting schedules for a long time now, Blaine. It seems like any time _I _want to spend time together, _you're _busy. But whenever _you _want to go on a date or make out or whatever, guess who's always there? Sometimes it's like I'm the only one who _cares_ enough about this relationship to put any effort in!"

"How can you say that?" Blaine retorted, his mouth in a set line. "How can you even _suggest_ that I don't care about our relationship? What about the multiple times you've called me in the middle of the freaking night because of a nightmare? How about when _I_ ditched school and drove _two and a half hours_ to help you confront that bitch Karofsky? Kurt, I have put you first in a lot of things during the time we've known each other. You _know_ that. All I'm asking for is this one time where I can go and follow up on a promise I made. To an _orphanage_ no less. I'm not going to blow those kids off because _you're_ having issues!"

_"Issues?" _Kurt's voice had risen to the point where he was nearly shouting and his fists were clenching together. "You'd better not be saying that the things I've gone through aren't _important. _At least I've been honest about what's going on with me, Blaine. I tell you _everything._ You, on the other hand, I don't even find out the things like you working at an _orphanage? _What else are you not telling me, huh? What other interesting things am I going to find out the next time you blow me off for a date and I'm stuck here wondering where the hell my boyfriend is _this time_? You're a people pleaser, I get that, but you said I'd _always _come first."

_Wow, bitch much? _Kurt felt himself cooling off a little as he finished his rant, realizing just what he had said to Blaine over the course of their conversation. He was about to suggest they back down, maybe take some time apart before talking about things further, before it all blew up in his face.

"I'm not suggesting anything you've gone through isn't important!" Kurt could see the look on Blaine's face and knew he was losing his temper fast. "Why would I have even bothered to help you through those things if, god forbid, I thought they weren't _important_? And how could you even _insinuate_ that I'm not honest with you? I've told you things that even _Wes_ and _David_ don't know about me!" His hazel eyes narrowed angrily. "Stop making yourself out as the only victim here. _You _could try being a little selfless once in a while!"

That did it.

Kurt found himself on his feet before realizing he had moved, glaring down at his surprised boyfriend. "That's _it_! You listen here, _Anderson_, I've had it with your crap! I _refuse _to sit here and let you tell _me _I should be selfless! After everything I went through, after I stayed silent for _so long _when someone wanted to _kill me_," he heard gasps from the other occupants of the room but his ire was firmly focused on Blaine, "and only came here because my Dad pretty much insisted on it. After I sat there consoling you through the Rachel and Jeremiah fiascos and waited, just _waited_, for you to hopefully change your mind, and now you _dare _to tell me I'm _selfish!_"

He felt the tears building in his eyes and cursed his oversensitive tear ducts. Kurt was a crier - no matter what the emotion was, if it got too strong then he couldn't stop the tears from coming. "Well, I've got news for you, maybe it's time I _should _be selfish! Because you are being a petulant _bitch _right now and I'm starting to wonder why I ever _settled _for you, let alone _waited _for you. I thought you _knew me_, Blaine, I guess I was wrong after all."

Grabbing his bag, Kurt shouldered it and directed one last comment at the boy. "So, thanks so very much for this _lovely conversation_." The sarcasm was dripping off his words as the tears began to fall. "But I think I'll be on my way to find someone _better _to talk to."

And with that, Kurt turned and walked out of the room, refusing to look at any of the other Warblers. He knew he looked a sight - his face red, tears streaming down his cheeks and glaring at anything and everything. Jeff reached out as if to stop him but Kurt brushed his arm away, walking out the door.

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><p><strong>Kurt. <strong>

Kurt strode down the hallway, ignoring the startled faces of students he passed. A teacher tried to stop him and he literally _growled_, causing the teacher to step back rather hurriedly. But it seemed to work, and his path cleared quickly.

Statements from their fight continued to play through in his head. _Take things the wrong way... you're having issues... only one who cares about this relationship... try being a little selfless... wonder why I ever settled for you... find someone better..._

The enormity of what had truly happened hit Kurt as he was halfway across the grounds, the shock sinking him to his knees on the damp ground.

"I just broke up with Blaine," he whispered. And with those words, all the fire left him to be replaced with an aching numbness and a gaping hole in his chest where he had just reached in and ripped out his own heart.

Kurt began to sob, completely losing control of his emotions. He was in plain sight - anybody could walk by on the street and see him here, but that was the last thing on Kurt's mind as it caught up with his emotions, with only one question left for him to consider.

"Oh my god, what the hell have I done?"

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><p><strong>Blaine. <strong>

Blaine didn't even realize he was on his feet until he was halfway to the door. "Kurt! KURT!"

He had half a mind to follow the diva countertenor, but the logical part of his brain stopped his feet. What the hell had just _happened_?

"DAMMIT!" He yelled, forgetting that he was in a room full of Warblers. "God _dammit_. Fuck! This is total _crap_! _Ugh_! _Fuck_!"

Without thinking, Blaine swung around and slammed his fist into the wall, making the thin material shake. There was a dent where his fist had collided with it, but really, he just didn't give a crap right now. He pulled back and smashed his fist into the wall again. The skin on his knuckles scraped off and started to bleed, but he didn't feel the pain.

_Kurt just broke up with me_. The words kept flashing through Blaine's mind, etching themselves into his memory. _Kurt just broke up with me_. Tears formed in his eyes. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against the wall, trying not to start sobbing

"Shit." He muttered through his gritted teeth.

"SHIT!" His scream echoed through the room, and he once again hit the wall, pounding it with unnecessary force, tears now beginning to course down his cheeks.

Blaine turned back around to find all of the Warblers frozen in place, all staring at him incredulously. No one had ever seen him completely lose control. He was Blaine Anderson, the calm, collected, smooth, suave, dapper soloist who was always pleasant and never got into a fight with _anybody_. Now here he was, throwing punches at walls and crying in front of everybody. For some reason, the fact that they were all just staring at him like big dopes infuriated him even more.

"What the _fuck_ are you all staring at?" Blaine shouted angrily, completely letting his temper go. Not waiting for a response, he strode out and slammed the door behind him, still fuming.

_Kurt just broke up with me_.

This wasn't real. It _couldn't_ be real.

"Oh god…" Blaine muttered, his face in his hands. It was all so _damn_ confusing. The realization of what had happened and what it meant really sank in, filling him up with dread. He didn't know what to do. All he knew was that Kurt had broken up with him, and it really, really sucked.

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><p><strong>Well, I hope you've enjoyed it! :) I'll see you all again in Chapter Three. <strong>

**Love Sarah**


	2. Announcement

_**Hey everyone! SquirrelzAttack here to introduce Chapter 2!**_

_**Thank you all so much for reviewing. Sarah (foraworldundeserving) and I forward each other the reviews we get, and it's nice to hear back from you all. There is one reoccurring issue, though, that I think needs some clarification.**_

_**So, a lot of people have been reviewing and telling us things along the lines of, "Kurt's such a BITCH!" Please don't hate on Kurt. I know that I'm not writing him, but I still feel the need to speak out on Sarah's behalf against these ludicrous allegations towards Kurt.**_

_**Kurt Hummel is not a bitch. Kurt Hummel is **_**the**_** bitch. And that's MR. Bitch to you.**_

_**;) Okay, but seriously, we understand that Kurt being such a bitch could be upsetting. But come on. Neither Sarah or I buy that whole 'Oh, Kurt's so sweet and innocent!' crap that is portrayed. He is a bitch. And yes, it is a little OOC, but keep in mind that he does have a flair for dramatics, and both he and Blaine have been under a lot of stress lately. He's being a bitch now because his pride is dictating he must be. We're talking about the guy who practically invented the bitch face, bitch slap, and 'bitch, please' look. Hummel's a bitch. Deal with it.**_

_**Oh, and I realize that Blaine was pretty mouthy in the last chapter. I promise it's not going to be repetitive, and I would also like to say that I don't cuss that much in real life. Just like any normal teenager. (Ha, **_**normal**_**, that's a good one…)**_

_**I was very anxious to get this chapter written and posted as soon as possible, as I am leaving on a trip and won't be back for about five days. Hopefully you like it! I know that we had fun writing it. :)**_

_**As usual, GIGANTIC thanks to foraworldundeserving for asking me to write this with her. She's awesome. But you probably already knew that. :)**_

_**Enjoy!**_

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><p><em><em>**Blaine.**

When Blaine opened his eyes on Thursday morning, it took him a few seconds to process exactly why he was feeling so depressed and pissed at the same time. And then the reality of it hit him. _Oh yeah. Kurt broke up with me. Right_.

Thad was already up, sitting with his laptop open and running on his lap. He glanced over at Blaine, opened his mouth to say something, and closed it again, apparently deciding against it. Blaine pretended not to notice his roommate's indecision. He didn't even want to go to class today. He didn't have any exams. For a moment, he very seriously considered skipping school and just spending all day in bed, moping. It sounded incredibly appealing. But Blaine shook himself. He would have to go out and face school eventually, plus Wes would probably flay him alive if he missed a Warblers meeting.

At the same time, Blaine felt his motivation to get up and get to class lowering by the second. What was the point? It seemed like everything good had been sucked out of his life. The truth was, the very last thing he wanted to do was go through an entire day of avoiding Kurt, because in the back of his mind he knew that's what he would spend the day doing.

"Look," Thad's voice came from Blaine's right, quiet and hesitant. The older Warbler slowly closed the lid of his laptop, looking down. "Blaine, I know what you're thinking right now. And I hope you know that you can't avoid life forever."

Once again, Thad hesitated. Blaine waited for the impeding lecture.

"If you want to skip today, I'll cover for you."

Say _what_?

Blaine sat up and stared over at Thad, his eyes wide with surprise. Thad met and held his gaze for several long moments before saying, "I wish you wouldn't skip, but I know you want to. And honestly, I think it could be good for you. So stay. Just don't miss the Warblers meeting tonight; Wes made it a rule for everyone to attend."

Blaine nodded. "Thanks, Thad." He said quietly, his voice slightly hoarse.

"Yeah, yeah." Thad slid off of his bed and picked up his bag, slinging it over one shoulder. "See you later, Blaine."

As he closed the door behind him, Blaine slumped back onto his pillows, his eyes fluttering shut once again. He felt relieved, but guiltily so. Part of him still wanted to believe that yesterday had never happened, and Kurt was fine. With a sigh, he went completely limp, letting his muscles relax onto his bed. He had no idea where or how to move forward from this point. Maybe things would be clearer if he just got some sleep…

A few hours later, Blaine groggily blinked his eyes open for the second time, feeling like his mind was a little fuzzy. If he was hoping that sleep would bring him some clarity, he was very sadly mistaken. He felt every bit as miserable as before, if not even more so. He was vaguely aware of his stomach growling for food, but he didn't feel the emptiness. After yesterday's – incident – he had pretty much come straight back to the dorm, crawled into bed, and faked sleep. Of course, he hadn't been able to pull anything past Thad, who made it clear he knew what Blaine was doing.

As much as he tried to put it out of his mind, Blaine's thoughts kept straying towards Kurt. A sharp, slicing pain stabbed through the cavity of his chest, and he winced visibly. It had been less than twelve hours, and he already missed his ex boyfriend so badly that it physically _hurt_.

_God, Blaine_, part of his brain said, _take hold of your pride and man up! It'll all be okay if you just talk things out after you've both calmed down_.

Blaine rolled his eyes at himself. _What_ pride? Any pride he had been holding onto after that big fight was currently lying in minuscule pieces on the floor, broken beyond any repair. He had torn up and thrown away any pride he owned the second he decided to spaz out and punch a _wall_ in front of the other Warblers.

The remembrance of the event left a bitter taste in his mouth. Regret washed over him in a powerful wave, so strong that he gasped, his hands grasping at clumps of his hair. It probably looked completely deranged, but for a moment he let go entirely, fresh tears spilling out from under his closed eyelids. He was a complete emotional wreck, and he knew it. But right now, he just didn't _give a damn_.

After a while, Blaine drew up enough resilience to drag himself out of bed, change into his uniform, and gather up his things. The Warblers meeting would start soon, and despite not wanting to do anything except mope and cry and feel sorry for himself, Blaine knew he had to go. He told himself that it was doable to stitch himself together for a little while. Just long enough to sit through Wes's usual lectures. With a sigh and a heavy sense of foreboding, Blaine swung his bag onto his shoulder and headed off to the meeting, wishing he could stay behind.

To his intense relief, Kurt wasn't in the room when he arrived. Wes, David, and Thad weren't there either, and Blaine was thankful that he could avoid an interrogation from his overprotective best friends. He cast his eyes down and tried to seem small and insignificant as he took a seat, determinedly not meeting anyone's questioning looks. There was a shuffling sound to his left, and he looked up in time to see Nick drop into the seat next to him.

"You okay, man?" Nick asked, looking concerned rather than afraid.

Blaine gave a non-committal grunt, shrugging one shoulder. He appreciated the effort, but seriously didn't feel like talking. Or breathing. Or, well, living. Where the hell was Wes? He didn't want to be here for another second.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, the door swung open once again. Unfortunately, it wasn't Wes. It was Kurt.

Blaine's throat closed up and his breathing hitched. Sharply, he averted his eyes, afraid that he would start bawling again. That stabbing sensation in his chest was back, magnified a thousand times. Tears pricked at the backs of his eyes, and he fought them back relentlessly, praying to every god he could think of that he wouldn't break down in front of everyone, _especially_ Kurt. He didn't want Kurt to see just how broken he was right now.

Even though they were sitting on opposite sides of the room, the tension in the room was tangible. Blaine wished he would dissipate into thin air, just to escape the pressured atmosphere. It came as a relief when Wes entered the room – which was really saying something. Wes took his seat, banged his gavel for silence (even though the room was already pin-drop silent) and started the meeting.

"Alright Warblers," he said, setting his beloved gavel down, "We have some very important news for you today."

Wes glanced to David on his right, who gave him a slight nod of encouragement. Wes took a deep breath, looking as though he wasn't quite sure how to put his thoughts into words. Whispers broke out across the room. Since when did Wes get antsy? Even Blaine felt a slight tug of curiosity. This must be something _huge_.

Apparently collecting his thoughts, Wes cleared his throat and continued, the room falling into silence once more. "About ten years ago, the lead soloist for the Warblers was a senior named Brian Royston. Since his graduation from Dalton, he's made a very big name for himself as a singer-songwriter. He's been to several of our performances, and thinks that we're the best group Dalton has had. Ever." Wes took another deep breath. "He wants us to perform at his mansion, and, if he thinks we're up-to-scratch, he's going to offer us a one year contract, using us as background vocals for any songs he writes. Also, he's going to give us the opportunity to produce our own top of the line EP."

Someone in the room gasped, and the sound was copied by nearly everyone. Blaine's mouth fell open in shock. Was Wes being _serious_? An _EP_? His head was spinning at just the thought of it. Becoming a singer was his dream, and this could be his big break.

As if echoing his thoughts, Wes continued, saying, "Also, this could mean we get picked up by bigger companies, particularly the soloists we will be featuring. The council has discussed it," he said, once again looking at David for support, "and we have decided to have two solo performances, one duet, and one group performance. Auditions for the duet will start on Monday, and run for the entirety of that week if necessary. I have the audition list, for anyone who's interested. Please keep in mind that for the duet, you must audition _with_ someone."

Now Wes was looking slyly at Thad, who let a flicker of a mischievous smile flicker through his stoic features. Blaine's eyes narrowed. He _knew_ that look. Thad only wore it when he was up to something.

"So, Warblers, pick a partner and present your song from the list by Monday." Wes said with an air of finality.

"One more thing." David interrupted, looking irritated that Wes had forgotten something. "Starting on Monday, it's mandatory for all of the Warblers to sit together at lunch. I know most of us do anyway, but now it's a rule. The reason for this," he raised his voice slightly as a few protests broke out across the room, "is because we're going to utilize lunch as an extra forty-five minutes to decide on setlists. Instead of the council deciding as usual, we're going to be taking in every person's input. This is a big deal, guys. Please keep that in mind when we're choosing songs. Every idea should be put forward in all seriousness. No joking around."

The dark-skinned Warbler shot a look towards Cameron, who feigned a look of innocence that said, _What, me?_

"Meeting dismissed." Wes said, banging his gavel. "Anyone who wants the audition list, come up to the head table and get a copy. There should be enough for everyone."

Everybody immediately swarmed the council's desk, literally _everybody_. Everybody except Blaine. He would be lying if he said wasn't excited for the opportunity to get out in the music industry, but his confidence was lower than the bowels of the Underworld. It was probably something to do with being called a petulant bitch mixed with his relationship with Kurt going down the drain that had caused his confidence to plummet to rapidly. Blaine told himself that solos didn't really matter anymore anyway. He knew he'd get one if he auditioned. He always got one. But for once, he didn't _want_ to be the center of attention. There was lots of talent in the group – let the others have their shining moment. Well…it was that, and it was the fact that being told to partner up with someone was just another painful reminder that he didn't have anyone to partner with anymore.

Picking up his bag once more, Blaine hurried out of the room, heading straight back to his dorm. He thought he heard someone calling his name from the choir room, but he didn't turn around and bother figuring out who it was. He wanted to keep personal interaction to a minimum.

Arriving back at his dorm, Blaine shut the door and flung his bag away, collapsing back onto his bed. Despite the fact that he had done basically nothing all day, he felt inordinately tired. Reaching blindly off to the side, he grabbed his iPod and mindlessly put in his headphones, flicking over to his 'Woe Is Me' playlist. As Daniel Powter's song _Bad Day_ came through the speakers, Blaine closed his eyes once more, hoping that the days would improve. Based on today…well, he didn't have much hope for his dignity.

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><p><strong>Kurt.<strong>

Kurt stayed in his seat as the rest of the Warblers moved eagerly to the Council desk, grabbing their setlists and poring over the songs. He watched Nick and Jeff huddle together and look through the list, shaking their heads at particular songs. The hole that had been gaping at his chest all day reopened with vigor and he sighed, ducking his head and trying to stop the tears from coming again.

The day had been hell. Waking up on top of his blankets, fully dressed and feeling like a truck had hit him, Kurt had wondered whether his drink had been spiked at some point the previous night wherever he was - especially since he had the awful feeling of dread and wanting to throw up.

And then it came back to him. _Right. I broke up with Blaine yesterday._

Kurt thought he had been all cried out, but those words tore at his heart and the tears were falling again before he could stop them. David stepped out of the bathroom and stopped when he saw Kurt's state.

"Kurt, you're a wreck. I'll cover for you if you don't want to go to class today."

Kurt shook his head immediately. "No, I'm going." Sitting up, he grabbed the box of tissues on the beside table and wiped at his face before standing up.

David shook his head pityingly. "There's no shame in taking the day off. I mean, you look like you're sick anyway, it wouldn't exactly be a lie."

"David, I'm going to class." Kurt strode into the bathroom with as much dignity as he could muster. Staring at himself in the mirror, he attempted to make it look like he hadn't been crying half the night, then gave it up as a lost cause. Dalton may be anti-bullying but it certainly wasn't anti-gossip; the entire school would know about it by now.

Kurt pulled on his uniform and fixed his hair quickly before leaving the bathroom. David had left, presumably gone to get breakfast. Kurt's stomach flipped at the thought of food and he grabbed his books together, heading for his first class. If he got a seat right at the front, he wouldn't have to look at Blaine at all that day.

But his first class came and went and there was no sign of Blaine. Kurt spent the entire period staring at the wall above the teacher's head, making no pretense of writing down notes. And it seemed that word had gotten to the staff too, as his name wasn't called on at all during the period. Kurt had already taken the exams for all of his day's classes, so he knew he didn't have to focus.

The rest of the day was spent in a similar state. Various Warblers tried to talk to him, but Kurt just shot them his best 'bitch glare' and they backed off, clearly remembering what he was like when he lost his temper. Kurt winced at the memory, knowing he had been a Grade A bitch the previous evening. As much as he wanted to just get up and run to Blaine's room - because he knew that was where the boy was hiding - and apologize for everything, his pride wouldn't let him. _Blaine was in the wrong too, _it reminded him as he poked at his lunch, pretending to eat, _and until he apologizes, you're not going to._

Walking into Warbler rehearsal and seeing Blaine sitting there literally froze Kurt for a moment, robbing him of his ability to even breathe. He clutched the doorframe for support, doing everything in his power to stay, to walk over to a couch and pretend to be indifferent when all he wanted to do was run, scream, cry, whatever it took to _stop hurting. _

Kurt barely focused throughout the meeting. He knew that the opportunity the Warblers had been presented with was huge and there was no way Kurt Hummel wasn't going to be a part of it. He just couldn't manage to work up the required enthusiasm. _Perhaps in a couple of days when this is all over and things are fine again. _But he knew he was deluding himself - until either himself or Blaine worked up the courage to deal with the situation, Kurt wasn't going to be fine.

He was drawn out of his thoughts by a figure passing in front of him, hurriedly leaving the room. Kurt tried not to watch Blaine leaving, his shoulders slumped and looking defeated, but he couldn't keep his eyes from the boy he still loved with all of his heart.

_Go after him! _his mind screamed, but Kurt knew he couldn't.

"Blaine!" Cameron called, but Blaine didn't turn to acknowledge him. And now the eyes of the room were on Kurt, waiting to see what he'd do.

"What?" he snapped, standing up and facing them, speaking the first words since he had told David he was coming to class. "Haven't you ever seen people having a fight before or something? Why don't you _try _a bit of subtlety?"

Kurt grabbed his bag and strode out of the room, pulling out his car keys as he went. Last night he had driven aimlessly for hours, not arriving back at Dalton until long after curfew to find a worried David waiting for him. But today he knew exactly where he was heading. New Directions were rehearsing late, hard at work for Nationals, and Kurt knew he would find them in the choir room. He drove a bit too fast, a bit too carelessly, and knew his Dad would give him a stern talking to if he had seen it. Which reminded him that he was meant to be having dinner at home in a couple of days, and was supposed to be bringing _Blaine..._

"Stop it!" he whispered harshly to himself, feeling the tears build in the back of his eyes. "Crying won't fix anything." But by the time he pulled into McKinley, Kurt looked like a wreck again. Wiping at his eyes furiously, he did his best to pull himself together before making his way to the choir room. The sound of laughter drifted out of the room and Kurt took a deep breath before stepping into the open doorway, knocking quietly.

There was absolute silence as everyone took him in, then Mercedes was on her feet, rushing over to give him a hug. "Kurt, what happened?"

"Blaine -" his throat closed up, but Mercedes understood.

"You and Blaine broke up?"

The rest of the room looked shocked as Kurt nodded. "Kurt, I'm so sorry," Tina murmured as Mercedes ushered him into the room, sitting down next to him. The group crowded around, offering words of support until Rachel finally thought to ask the question:

"What happened?"

Kurt sighed, knowing it would come out eventually. In a flat voice, he relayed the events of the previous night, stumbling a bit over Blaine's declaration that he was selfish and the names he had called Blaine.

".. and then I left. And we haven't been able to _look _at each other all day - he skipped class anyway, and the Warblers won't leave us alone and seem to think it's their business, and that just makes it _worse _and I'm miserable but I can't do anything about it." Kurt finished in a rush, wiping the tears off his face and sniffing.

There was an awkward silence and Kurt looked around the room. The girls were avoiding his eyes and Finn looked confused. But it was Puck that finally spoke up. "Dude, that's low. You don't have a go at a guy like that."

Kurt felt the anger boil up inside him, seething away under his skin and just waiting for an excuse to lash out again. "Puck, I know you _love _to make out that I'm a girl just because I'm gay, but I'm a guy _too_."

Puck shook his head. "Well you're acting like a girl. No offense, girls," he added as an afterthought.

Kurt expected some kind of defensive response from the girls - at the very least, offense at Puck's statement. But Mercedes nodded. "He's right, Kurt. I get that you were mad, and Blaine's certainly said some things that he should apologize for too, but the way you acted was completely uncalled for."

"I hope Blaine's alright," Quinn murmured. Kurt turned to her sharply and she shrugged. "You've got all of us to talk to, Kurt. He's got the Warblers who seem to be involved on both sides, so he probably has nobody who he can go to if he needs to talk."

Kurt shook his head furiously. "It looks like I don't either." He stood, turning to face the group and letting his anger loose. "What is this? I came to you to get sympathy and understanding; instead you're all on - on _his _side." His mouth couldn't form Blaine's name right now without his tear ducts responding, so he didn't try.

"Kurt, we're not taking sides -"

"Yes you are!" He glared furiously at Mercedes who had spoken. "You're all saying I was the one in the wrong and 'poor Blaine' and all this _crap _that I don't want to hear! Yes, I said some things I regret, but it was important to me that he could at least _try _to understand where I was coming from. And he didn't, he just brushed it aside as me overreacting and it not being important. So maybe the situation itself wasn't, but my _feelings _wereand always _are._"

Kurt choked back a sob and knew he had to get out before he lost it completely. "And it looks like none of you understand that either," he managed to get out before turning and bolting from the room, ignoring Mercedes calling after him. As soon as he reached his car, he crumpled beside it, not even having the strength to get in. Sitting in the McKinley parking lot, he once again succumbed to his tears, his mind firmly on the boy who he loved and had still managed to hurt so badly.

"I'm hurting _too_," he whispered to himself, before breaking down completely.

* * *

><p><em><strong>So, what did you guys think? Angsty, right? Sigh. These silly boys. When will they ever learn? Leave us a review telling us what you thought of this chapter and if you want to see more of this! Plus, reviews make you automatically supermegafoxyawesomehot. And who doesn't want to be supermegafoxyawesomehot?<strong>_

_**See you in Chapter 4!**_

_**~SquirrelzAttack**_


	3. Tables

**Hey everybody!**

**Sarah here :) just a quick (or not) word about reviews. First, the positive. You guys are all so lovely, and it's amazing how many people get so intensely into this story! Angela and I have been forwarding on any reviews we particularly love and we've had a few of you who are simply gorgeous in your reviewing, and we've responded to a few telling the people we love them. But we love you all!**

**Now, the more negative. I hate doing this - I've had to do it in other stories and it's never fun - but it always happens with the anonymous reviewers who I can't message back and deal with the situation privately. We received a review from someone who didn't agree with our 'crap' about Kurt being a bitch. Firstly, I'm positive there was a nicer way that could have been put rather than telling us our work was crap. Second, we aren't saying Kurt's a bitch all the time, nor are we trying to put down his character because we both LOVE him. To shreds. **

**And finally, we are the ones writing this story and we are going to portray our characters how we decide to. If that bothers you, we honestly have no problem with telling you not to read it. We want people here who are going to enjoy our story, not those who are going to sit there hating the way we've portrayed things. So if you're not going to like it, don't read it. Simple. Reviews with constructive criticism are always welcomed, but not things telling us our interpretation of our characters is all wrong, okay? You're entitled to your opinion and freedom of speech, but so are we. **

**Phew! Okay, that's over. Angela wrote her section of this by hand while she was in Vegas, and I wrote mine on my iPod in Hanmer. That's dedication! **

**By the way, in our pooling of reviews, we've discovered that you lot are all working through the seven stages of grief. So far we've gotten anger, denial, bargaining... but nobody seems to have accepted their break up. Poor darlings - you'll get there eventually! ;)**

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><p><strong>Kurt.<strong>

It took Kurt a good five minutes after he had managed to pull himself out of bed to remember his and Blaine's fight. For the past few mornings, he had immediately been overwhelmed with his emotions and hadn't been able to focus on anything else, but today was feeling different... better even. Brushing his teeth in the mirror, he smiled hesitantly. _Maybe things are starting to get easier._

And they seemed to be. He made it through his first class without having to fight back tears and actually took notes on what was going on. Forcibly keeping his mind off Blaine was finally working for him, and Kurt felt like he might be able to begin healing and moving on - as long as he also ignored the little voice in his head that told him that he was just deluding himself.

Making his way into the dining hall, Kurt paused momentarily as he saw the large group of Warblers assembled around one table before remembering Wes's instructions the previous Thursday. Even though Kurt was feeling better, he certainly wasn't cheerful or in the mood for a Warbler meeting. All he wanted to do was sit alone and get through lunch quickly so he could go to his next class, but he reluctantly headed over to the Warbler table knowing that the lecture he would get from Wes wasn't worth forty-five minutes of quiet time.

"Hey Kurt, just in time," Ethan greeted him. "There's only two chairs left."

The boy gestured to the two seats next to him, smiling far too cheerfully for something as mundane as seats, and Kurt noticed that more than one set of eyes was watching him. _Something's definitely going on here... _

Sitting down, Kurt rested his elbows on the table and surveyed the group as if out of polite interest. Really, he was looking to see if Blaine had arrived. Even though looking at his ... at Blaine hurt a lot, Kurt still felt the need to ascertain where the other boy was.

It didn't take long to realize Blaine hadn't arrived yet. And from there, it was a quick observation that Blaine was the only Warbler yet to arrive... and there was only one seat left. Right next to Kurt.

_Whoever decided to pull this stupid stunt is in for it_, Kurt thought to himself furiously. A second later, Ethan was calling out again. "Blaine! There's a seat down here!"

Kurt refused to look up as he heard footsteps coming closer before the seat next to him was pulled out. Out of the corner of his eye - Kurt's gaze was fixed firmly on the table and _staying there_ - he could see Blaine on the edge of his seat, fingers twisted together on the table in the way Kurt knew meant he was nervous or uncomfortable.

"Alright, since everybody's here, let's get started." Wes tapped his gavel lightly, seemingly aware of the rest of the student body being present and not wanting to disturb them with his incessant gavel rapping. "Feel free to eat while we talk about what's happening."

The Warblers dug into their lunch with the exception of Kurt - who hadn't been feeling at all hungry the past few days considering the sick feeling in his gut wouldn't leave him alone - and Blaine, who Kurt noticed didn't have a tray either. He refused to let himself think about the meaning behind that as Wes spoke up again. "So, everybody has had ample opportunity to look over their sheets. We're going to begin with discussing auditions for..."

Kurt tried to focus on the meeting, he really did. He knew Wes had said something about duet auditions being first, and about the two successful people not knowing each others identity until the latest possible time. Then there were other important notes, of course. Something about group auditions and secret ballots, and plenty of other things that Kurt really should have properly paid attention to and committed to memory.

But all Kurt could focus on the whole time was that Blaine was _right there_. Kurt could see his leg under the table and knew that, under different circumstances, their legs would have been pressed together. Blaine's hands, still twisted together, would have been loosely entwined with his. He wouldn't have been scared to even _look_ at Blaine - in fact, they would have been sharing many small glances and smiles as Wes rambled on.

But, of course, they weren't together anymore - Kurt tried not to gasp as the wound reopened in his chest at that thought - and none of that was going to happen. So he just needed to stop thinking about Blaine. Simple.

Of course, in theory everything works. Every nerve in Kurt's body seemed hyperaware of Blaine's presence next to him, the light scent of Blaine that he knew so well drifting across him, the sound of his breathing, slightly unsteady. Things that he normally would have taken for granted were now simply momentary reminders of what he had given up in his anger.

Speaking of anger... Kurt's head snapped up to see Luke sitting across from him, smirking. Drawing up every ounce of self-hatred and frustration, Kurt channeled it into his best 'bitch glare' which he shot at the other boy. Luke's smirk died instantly and the other Warbler turned his attention to Wes. Kurt allowed himself a moment of satisfaction before realizing he had just potentially alienated himself from another person because he couldn't keep his anger under control. And no matter how justified his reaction was, Kurt really couldn't afford to lose more people from his life right now.

Mercedes had been calling his phone almost non-stop the past few days, but so far Kurt had refused to answer. It wasn't so much that he was mad at his friend, but frustrated in general. Of course his number one target for any anger was himself, and in one of his self-beration sessions, Kurt had realized just how ridiculously he had acted when his McKinley friends had called him out on his mistakes. Kurt _knew_ he had done things wrong, and his friends were only trying to make him understand that, but all Kurt had wanted was for someone to tell him that his feelings meant something too. And when his friends couldn't do that - well, he'd snapped pretty spectacularly.

Kurt wasn't planning on offering apologies to the group as a whole, however. He was still mad at how they had responded when he had laid his feelings on the line - vulnerability was _not_ something Kurt Hummel did well, and it was no wonder if that was the kind of response he was going to get. But he certainly didn't want to lose Mercedes over this. He figured that calling the girl back sometime in the next few days when he was a bit calmer was probably his best bet. Apologizing to his best friend was a lot easier than swallowing his pride in front of an entire group.

After all, there wasn't a lot of Kurt's pride left anymore. He needed to cling to every last shred he had.

There was a sudden flurry of activity and Kurt realized that their meeting was over. Kurt lingered, not wanting to have to lift his eyes from the table and see any of the other Warblers, who he knew would all have pegged him as the 'bad guy'. But most importantly he didn't want to have to look at Blaine. Somehow the two had managed to avoid any eye contact in the past few days and Kurt aimed to keep it that way for as long as possible.

Kurt sighed as he realized Blaine was still sitting beside him, clearly doing the same thing that he was. Ignoring the incessant twinge of guilt - _obviously you've given him a reason to not want to look at you_ - Kurt pushed back his chair and stood. Unfortunately, it seemed that Blaine had also given up on waiting and decided to do exactly the same thing.

Blue-green eyes met hazel, and Kurt forgot how to breathe.

Blaine had always had the ability to take Kurt's breath away. Even when they had gotten comfortable in their dating relationship, having Blaine surprise him, or seeing his boyfriend - _ex _boyfriend now, Kurt reminded himself harshly - suddenly burst into laughter or speak passionately about something, it was always enough to shock Kurt into a sudden stillness, of wondering how someone so perfect could even exist, let alone be his. But now it was surprise on a totally different level.

Blaine looked so... defeated. Kurt couldn't think of another word to describe the boy. Yes, there was the instant of shock as they realized they were face-to-face for the first time since the fight, but it quickly evaporated into resignation, but a resignation so heart-breaking that Kurt nearly broke down there and then and _pleaded_ for Blaine to be his again...

And he probably would have too, if Blaine hadn't turned on his heel a moment later and all but bolted out of the cafeteria. In the last second though, Kurt saw the beginning of tears filling his eyes, something he had only seen of Blaine once before. Something so rare, so shocking and raw and ... something he had caused.

Kurt sank back into his seat, afraid his legs might give out if he tried to stand for much longer. For once his own tears didn't instantly well up; instead he felt drained, like he had tried to run a marathon and failed halfway through.

Kurt had always considered himself as a fiercely independent person, even during the time he was pining over Blaine. To be so incredibly broken as a result one look from the boy he loved so desperately meant that Kurt Hummel didn't stand quite as strongly on his own two feet as he had thought. He had grown to rely on Blaine's presence in his life - someone who had loved him unconditionally, who had not only tolerated him but encouraged him to be himself. And even though Kurt was never one for clichés, now that Blaine was gone it felt like a part of himself had been ripped away, proving that he wasn't as independent as he had once imagined.

But today, it wasn't the loss of his independence that he mourned; rather the loss of that one person who made him feel okay to finally depend on someone else in life.

All of the previous hesitant optimism that Kurt had been feeling was long gone. He knew he couldn't continue deluding himself any longer. _Nothing is going to be right until Blaine and I fix things, or until he moves on. _

"Because I don't think I ever will," he murmured to himself, dropping his head into his hands.

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><p><strong>Blaine.<strong>

Mondays had always sucked, but Blaine could safely say that this had been the worst Monday of his entire life.

The only upside of the whole ordeal was that some of Blaine's misery had been burned away. On the downside, the misery had faded into deep anger at everything and everyone, particularly one gavel-obsessed Head Warbler. _Wes._ Wes would've known about the tables thing beforehand. He had almost certainly either approved or instigated the whole twisted plan. Blaine had seen that self-satisfied smirk on his face at lunchtime, and he had been fuming ever since.

_That stupid, nosy, son of a – !_ Insults raced through Blaine's mind as he turned into a new corridor. His pace quickened, and before he could fully process his actions, he was flinging open Wes's door and storming inside.

"Wes." He worked hard to try and control the cold fury that seeped from his tone.

"Fancy seeing you here." Wes said casually, keeping his eyes fixed on the audition lists he was shuffling through. "Can I help you with something? Or are you just here to bask in the pleasure of my company?"

"Don't flatter yourself." Blaine said, nearly snarling. He took a defiant stance, crossing his arms and taking a step forward. "What the _hell_ is your problem, Wes? Why can't you leave me to wallow in my own stupidity in _peace_? Why did you guys have to interfere like nosy brats?"

Wes didn't show any signs of reaction, his face carefully, coolly blank. "I have no idea what you're on about. And it's not nice to call your best friend a nosy brat, Blaine. Especially when said best friend didn't even do anything to illicit such a harsh yet immature bout of name-calling."

"You know _exactly_ what I'm talking about." Blaine growled, advancing another step.

"No, I'm afraid I don't." Wes still didn't look up, his voice now tinged with a cool edge. They both knew that he was flat-out lying, and it just infuriated Blaine even further.

"Yes, you do." He retorted. "Don't give me that, Wes. It's a load of crap, and I'm not going to stand here and let you lie to my face!"

Wes's eyes narrowed and he finally stood, his shoulders tense. "Why don't you go out and fix things with Kurt instead of stand here and yell at me? All that the Warblers are doing is trying to help you two _morons _realize how hopelessly in love you are!"

"I already _know_ that I'm in love with him!" Blaine exploded, his voice rising rapidly. "Do you think that I _wanted_ this to happen? Wes, _he_ dumped _me_! And I'm not going to be the idiot that chases after someone who obviously isn't even mildly interested anymore!"

"That's the thing, Blaine!" Wes threw his hands up in exasperation, his expression beyond exasperated. "_He is still in love with you_. Oh my _god_, you are so _stupid_ sometimes. He didn't mean any of the things he said to you! _Duh_!"

"You don't know that." Blaine suddenly felt all of the anger leave his body, and his voice dropped to a dejected whisper. He swallowed hard, his throat dry, fighting back a sudden influx of tears. When he spoke again, his voice cracked horribly. "You _can't_ know that. He doesn't love me. He hates me."

"He loves you." Wes countered firmly, placing a hand on Blaine's shoulder. "He's just too damn stubborn to admit it. Kind of like you, actually."

Blaine shook his head despondently, turning his head away from the older Warbler. He closed his eyes and let the first wave of hot tears spill out, feeling the need for a release. Anything to get the ache out of his chest.

"If he loves me," Blaine said, swallowing hard again, his voice shaking, "then answer me this: Why did he break up with me? Just…why?"

Wes was silent. Blaine opened his eyes to see him looking off to the side, his mouth open, at a complete loss for words.

"I – I don't know." Wes said despairingly, looking like he'd been backed into a corner.

"Exactly." Blaine whispered, turning to leave.

"No – Blaine, wait!" Wes lunged forward and grabbed his arm, distraught. "Look, maybe he was stressed out from finals or missing his dad and his friends or something. But I _swear_ to you, Blaine, he's dying inside just as much as you are. I _promise_."

"You don't break up with someone you love, Wes." Blaine said hoarsely. "You just don't." He shook Wes off and opened the door, half-blinded by the tears that were now falling thick and fast.

The hall was mostly empty, which was fortunate, because by that time Blaine could barely see. As it was, he made it back to his room mostly on memory, groping blindly for the doorknob. He opened the door and slumped against the frame, his breathing shallow and quick.

"God, Kurt." He choked, leaning his head against the wood. "Can't you see what you're doing to me? I'm _dying_. I miss you. I want you back. I want you back so bad that it _hurts_."

Blaine was half-hoping that Kurt would magically appear out of nowhere, as if they were in a cheesy romance movie. He wished that Kurt would announce his undying love and then they could proceed to hug or makeout and then live happily every after.

But this wasn't a movie.

Kurt wasn't here. Blaine knew that Kurt probably wasn't even in this wing of the building. Kurt was probably just avoiding this area of the school like the freaking plague. The knowledge that Kurt hated him _so much_ that he was making a point to avoid him opened up a whole new chasm of hurt.

Blaine had been through a lot of crap in his life. He'd been pushed around, thrown on the dirt, punched, kicked, and beaten on several occasions. He'd received broken ribs, a broken nose, and more bruises and cuts than he could even begin to count. But time had managed to heal those wounds. _Those_ wounds had faded into scars, enough to be forgotten about on occasion. Blaine didn't think that time was going to help this time. This intense, scalding pain was worse than any experience he'd ever been forced to suffer through. Because, even though he was physically fine, it seemed as if he'd been sliced open and left to bleed, constantly in pain.

"You're pathetic." He hissed through his teeth, berating himself. "Pitying yourself isn't going to do you any good. You just have to accept the fact that Kurt's gone and he's not coming back. You have to move on."

With those words, he stepped inside of his dorm, shutting the door behind him. As Blaine made his way towards his bed, the voice of logic in his head whispered, _You're smarter than that, Blaine. You know that you'll never move on from him. Give it up._

Blaine dropped his head into his hands, groaning, "Shut _up_! Just _shut up_!"

**So, those of you who wanted them to resolve it this chapter... you're a little out of luck. Sorry! **

**Apart from the crippling grief and depression you're all currently experiencing, I hope this chapter was good :) keep posted, we'll do our best to get another up soon. Next time you hear from me, I'll be in Australia!**

**See you in Chapter 5!**

**Love Sarah (foraworldundeserving)**


	4. Interventions

_**Hey everybody! SquirrelzAttack here to introduce Chapter 4! A bit of a serious Author's Note coming your way, but please don't let that deter you. I promise that everything I'm going to say is important, and I urge you to take it as such.**_

_**First of all, I hope you all know that we're not going to get Klaine back together just because you're begging us to. A ten-foot virtual cake IS tempting, but it's still not going to happen just because you asked nicely and bribed us. We don't accept bribery, just to clarify. (Now, if someone were to offer me Darren Criss in the flesh… ;) )**_

_**I would also like to paraphrase something Sarah said last chapter, except this probably isn't going to be as nice or eloquent as she phrased it: We don't really care if YOU think that we're portraying the characters wrong. This is OUR story, and is obviously not canon to the Glee plot in any way whatsoever. So don't leave us a review telling us that you 'don't think the characters would act like that.' Someone left us a review making a very good point about how no one knows how Klaine would act during a breakup, because they HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED ONE YET. So, if you don't like the way we're running things, then fine. Leave.**_

_**I ask you all to keep in mind that this fic is not solely Klaine. Sure, that's part of it, no use denying that. BUT! A lot of you seem to be forgetting that there is a plot interlaced between all of the angst going on right now. Right after we posted the second chapter, Sarah and I outlined the entire story together. We know exactly what is going to happen in every single chapter throughout the entire story. We know how many chapters there are, and what songs are being used for the upcoming performance, who's getting the solos, and what the ending will be. We have a clear plot fully planned out, and it gets irritating when people assume that we don't have any of it figured out yet. So, I urge you to remember that as you read, and try not to focus JUST on Klaine. Try and think of the Warblers as a whole, and how the performance could affect ALL of them.**_

_**Another thing I'd like to add (I know, long AN is long, almost finished…) – People who say that there's too much angst and 'being depressed' in this story? To put it nicely, let's say that I don't have any love for them. The genres for this story are Angst and Hurt/Comfort. You knew precisely what you were getting into when you clicked on this story. Honestly, guys…When I see reviews that are unnecessarily critical, opinionated, whining, and sometimes just plain rude, all I can think is, "Well, FINE THEN. Obviously this isn't living up to your expectations, so why should I even bother writing it?" And I know that's dramatic, but if you write FanFiction then you know what I'm talking about. It's extremely disheartening when you get put down. Multiple times. By ANONYMOUS reviewers, no less. **_

_**And lastly, there is a big difference between 'constructive criticism' and just plain 'opinions.' When I think 'constructive criticism' I think of sentence structure, grammatical errors, typos, a paragraph or sentence that just doesn't quite make sense, conflicting details. It's fine if you call us out on those. But unnecessary, unconstructive criticism? Keep it to yourselves, thank you.**_

_**I'm terribly sorry for coming off so mean and possibly snobby. Those of you who are only Sarah's readers are probably going, "Sheesh, this chick is a bitch! What was Sarah thinking when she wrote a story with her?" But I promise that if this was Sarah talking, much of the same things would have been said. We email back and forth pretty much all the time, or at least as often as we can, so basically all our ideas are shared. Just a heads up for you.**_

_**And now, FINALLY, I present to you the fourth installment of Edge of Glory. And again, sorry for the rambling. Happy reading!**_

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><p><strong>Blaine.<strong>

"Blaine, wake up."

Blearily, Blaine opened his eyes to see Thad standing over him, a small smirk on his face. Blaine looked over at his clock and felt the urge to slap Thad. 3:00. He'd only been asleep for _half an hour_, and Thad was waking him up?

"Time for a field trip!" Thad said cheerfully. Seeing his mutinous expression, he nudged him again. "C'mon Blaine, get up. We've got to go to McKinley."

Blaine sat up slowly, running a hand through his tangled curls, confusion overtaking his irritation. "Wait…McKinley? Why?"

The corners of Thad's mouth twitched. "Weren't you paying attention during the Warblers meeting yesterday at lunch?"

"Uh…"

Thad rolled his eyes. "That was a stupid question, wasn't it? Well, the New Directions invited us to McKinley to watch them perform. Something about practicing for Nationals or whatever. Anyway, Wes said everyone had to go unless they had a personal crisis. So get up, change out of your uniform, and let's get going. We only have about fifteen minutes to meet Wes in the choir room."

Mumbling something about being distracted yesterday under his breath, Blaine managed to drag himself out of bed and into some regular clothes. What was Thad so worked-up about anyway? He seemed oddly excited. _Big deal_, Blaine thought, yawning. It was just New Directions. It's not like they were anything special.

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><p>Blaine was getting very suspicious. The ride over at been odd, to say the least. The Warblers were definitely up to something. There was <em>no way<em> that _everyone_ was excited to go and see New Directions dance around a stage while singing. It just didn't make any sense, and Blaine couldn't quite put his finger on what they were plotting this time.

He entered the auditorium with the others, sticking close to Wes and David, his feelings of trepidation growing with every step. He almost expected someone to pop out of nowhere with a machete and attack him. Gingerly, he took a seat between David and Thad, eyeing them suspiciously. If this was another intervention he was going to –

Blaine's thoughts were cut short by the curtain opening, and New Directions filing onto the stage, Finn and Rachel leading the pack. Rachel broke away and raced towards the front of the stage, smiling genially.

"Warblers, welcome to McKinley." She said, neatly folding her hands, "We told you we were performing for you this evening to give you inspiration for your performance and to give us practice for Nationals. Well, it _does_ give us practice for Nationals, but the truth is, we've heard from Kurt about what happened with him and Blaine, and we don't like seeing either of them act like this. A relationship is sacred, and if you claim to love someone then you should stick with them through the good and the bad. So, Kurt and Blaine, New Directions would like to show you what some real couples look like."

Blaine snorted, and everyone's eyes turned towards him curiously. He couldn't believe the _nerve_ of New Directions. _They_ were going to show them what real couples look like? He'd heard about all of their shenanigans from Kurt, and, based on the Sam-Quinn-Puck-Rachel-Finn love _pentagon_, they had absolutely nothing to brag about. He raised an eyebrow, unimpressed, as the music started and Mercedes and Sam walked forward, their hands linked together.

"_Don't go breaking my heart"_

Sam smiled at his girlfriend, and Blaine had to (grudgingly) admit that they were a cute couple.

"_I couldn't if I tried"_

Okay, so maybe it wasn't _that_ unbelievable that Mercedes would never hurt Sam. And, based on what Kurt had told him, Sam had been a loyal boyfriend before. Blaine huffed angrily. _Still_, it didn't give them any right to tell him and Kurt what a real couple should be like.

Sam pulled back and gave Mercedes a quick twirl, smiling.

"_Oh honey, if I get restless"_

Mercedes leaned forward and teasingly tapped his nose, her eyes playful.

"_Baby, you're not that kind"_

The two fell back into the group and Brittany ran out in front, pushing Artie.

"_Don't go breaking my heart"_

The bubbly blonde reached down and affectionately ruffled her boyfriend's hair, winking at the audience.

"_You take the weight off of me"_

Blaine noticed Santana looking less-than-happy about the PDA happening in front of her. _Just one more couple who doesn't have any reason to be telling us how to act!_ Blaine thought exasperatedly, flickering his attention back to Brittany and Artie. Brittany hopped onto Artie's lap, smiling, as he sang the next line.

"_Oh honey, when you knocked on my door"_

He wheeled them in a circle while she sang.

"_Ooh, I gave you my key"_

Brittany jumped off of Artie's lap and they melted back into the group. The rest of New Directions straightened out into a line, putting their arms around each other's shoulders or waists, all grinning as if they were one big, happy family that had no problems at all. Mike and Tina smoothly danced around the stage, beaming at each other, as the New Directions belted out the next few lines. Reluctantly, Blaine admitted to himself that Mike and Tina actually had a solid relationship that had lasted more than a couple of months. The two Asians seemed perfectly happy with each other, and they looked like a sweet couple. Plus, Blaine had never heard Kurt talk about _them_ having any major relationship issues.

"_Ooh hoo, nobody knows it,_

_When I was down,_

_I was your clown,_

_Ooh hoo, nobody knows it,_

_But right from the start,_

_I gave you my heart,_

_Oh, I gave you my heart"_

Finn led Rachel out in front, singing.

"_So don't go breaking my heart"_

_Oh brother_, Blaine thought exasperatedly as he watched Rachel bounce forward beside her boyfriend, acting as if everything was perfect. Like _she'd_ never had any relationship issues? Seriously. And _Finn_? As far as Blaine could tell, the Frankenteen had issues keeping a girlfriend longer than a month or two at the _most_. And yet here they were, singing about not breaking each other's hearts. Ironic, much?

"_I won't go breaking your heart"_

The remainder of the group moved forward, and New Directions formed a rough Omega shape on the stage, every single person staring meaningfully at either Kurt or Blaine behind their dazzling smiles. Their voices rose and echoed in the small room, so loud that Blaine had to lean back a little, wincing. These people just didn't give up, did they? _Point taken_, he thought with a twinge of bitterness, frowning at the performers, _Can we move on now_?

"_So don't go breaking my,_

_Don't go breaking my,_

_I won't go breaking your heart!_

_Don't go breaking my,_

_Don't go breaking my,_

_Don't go breaking my heart!"_

* * *

><p><strong>Kurt.<strong>

_Breathe. Don't do anything rash. You know they were just trying to help._

Kurt chanted the mantra to himself as the final lines were sung, but it wasn't working. All he knew was that right now he was _livid_.

_What right do __they__ have to tell me how to run a relationship?_

And then Kurt realized all of the attention was focused on him. Every member of New Directions were staring his way - except Santana, who seemed to be eyeing up Thad; a disturbing concept - as if waiting for his reaction. _Well, if they want a reaction, they're going to get one._

"Well, an excellent performance as usual." Kurt stood, resting his hands on the seat in front of him. "But then I shouldn't expect anything less - you have always known how to put on your masks to perform."

Kurt saw Wes's jaw drop - clearly the Council Member had no idea about how things really worked in New Directions. But he was going to get a crash course right now, that was for sure. "Your performance would have been inspiring, except for the fact that your relationships aren't _quite _what they appear."

Letting the sarcasm coat his words, Kurt aimed his best glare at the group, Finn and Rachel in particular. "Mike and Tina are the only ones who actually practice what they preach. Sam and Mercedes? You two make a good couple, I'll admit, but you've been together for, what, a few weeks? Not exactly a great deal of experience there."

He deliberated for a second over Brittany and Artie, wondering how much to truly share. "Brittany and Artie…and Santana, I should include you there. Kudos for showing us that things aren't always as they seem. By the way, Santana? I really admire your _friendship _with Brittany."

Artie looked up at Brittany, confused. Brittany looked equally confused, but that was normal. "Finn and Rachel. Where on _earth _can I begin? How many times have you two broken up? And Finn, you've been with nearly every girl in the club now, including Quinn, _far_ too many times. If that's how to hold down a proper relationship, I don't want one, thanks. At least _Quinn_ isn't trying to advocate herself as a candidate for a good relationship!"

The entire group looked stunned, Warblers included. But Kurt wasn't quite finished yet. "Face it: you're one big incestuous family who doesn't know how to date properly. So maybe I actually got it _from _you guys. But you know what? I'm not going to sit here and let you lot preach at me and pretend you're better than us."

Grabbing his bag, Kurt tossed one more glare at the group of people he used to call his Glee club and his friends. He ignored the fact that every Warbler had turned in their seats to stare at him - even Blaine was intentionally looking in his direction for the first time since their fight. But he couldn't even focus on what that might mean. All Kurt wanted was to get out of there.

Pushing past the few Warblers in his row, Kurt quickly made his way out of the auditorium. He had brought his own car since he was going home for dinner that night, before heading back to Dalton later. But as he rummaged through his bag for his keys, a quiet voice stopped him.

"Kurt. Wait, please?"

Kurt turned slowly to see Sam and Mercedes standing in the doorway, their hands linked. As much as Kurt wanted to brush them off and tell them they weren't worth his time, the fact that Mercedes looked close to tears gave him pause.

Oh, and the fact that those two were the only ones that actually might be worth his time.

"Mercedes. Sam." Kurt kept his tone level, not sure what to expect. He didn't think the two had followed him out to get on his case again, but one could never be entirely sure.

Sam squeezed his girlfriend's hand quickly before letting go and backing away. "I'll leave you guys to it. Just know that I echo what 'Cedes says, Kurt."

Sam disappeared back into the building, leaving the two teenagers alone. Mercedes stared at her feet for a few seconds, shuffling slightly before looking up. "Kurt, I'm so sorry."

Kurt blinked. He honestly hadn't expected an apology so suddenly. But Mercedes continued to talk, stepping closer as she did. "You were right, Kurt. I'm your friend and I haven't been acting like one. Yes, I might not understand what's going on with you and Blaine, but that doesn't give me the right to judge. Sam is my first boyfriend after all, I can't speak from experience. And if I spoke harshly, it was only because I know how happy Blaine made you and I don't like seeing you a wreck."

Kurt felt the tears running down his face as Mercedes finished talking, her voice still quiet. Wordlessly, he reached out and pulled her into a hug. "It's alright," he murmured softly. "Of course I forgive you. I shouldn't have spoken that way to you either."

Mercedes pulled away and scrutinized him closely. "So, how are you holding up?"

Kurt shrugged. "I don't honestly know. One minute I'm fine, the next I'm a crying wreck - like now," he chuckled, shaking his head at himself and wiping his eyes. "It sounds so stupid - and if someone like Rachel or Quinn said it, I'd probably hit them - but it's like I've lost a piece of myself sometimes."

"Why don't you talk to him about it then?"

Mercedes was straight to the point and Kurt couldn't blame her for it. But now he had to finally face up to the question that he had been trying to avoid answering to himself - _why won't you talk to Blaine? _

"I'm not mad at him anymore, 'Cedes. I was, but then I realized that he argued with me for the same reason that I snapped in the first place - he was tired and worn out too. I don't blame him for what he said either."

Mercedes reached out and took his hands. "So what is it, then?" she asked gently.

Kurt took a deep breath. "I'm scared."

Finally admitting the words felt a lot better than Kurt thought it would. "Mercedes, I _screamed _at the guy, I called him a petulant bitch - who _does _that? I know I screwed up and I would love to tell him how sorry I am and that I still love him..."

"But?" Mercedes prompted.

"But I'm too scared that he won't forgive me," Kurt let out in a rush. "I'm scared that he'd rather walk away than be with me after the way I treated him. Nobody deserves that, and I wouldn't blame him if he did but I'm too scared to find out."

Mercedes sighed softly. "Kurt, Blaine _loves _you -"

"I'm not so sure about that either." Kurt ran a hand through his hair. "I know I hurt him, but wouldn't he do something if he still wanted to be with me, if he still loved me? I think he's realized there are a lot better guys out there than me and gotten out while he could."

Kurt knew Mercedes would want to argue, but he didn't want to hear it. He was just so _tired._ "Look, I've got dinner at home tonight, I'd better go. Tell Sam that me and him are cool too."

Mercedes nodded, hugging him again. "I just want to see you happy, Kurt."

Kurt swallowed back the lump in his throat with difficulty. "Me too," he whispered softly as he pulled away from Mercedes. She gave him one last hesitant smile and turned to walk back into the auditorium. As Kurt watched her go, a smile spread across his face. Regardless of what was going on, at least he had someone here for him now.

But now Kurt had one of the more difficult tasks ahead - to somehow tell his Dad that he and Blaine were no longer together. Sighing, he unlocked his car and got in to head off on the route he knew so well.

It was only when Kurt was halfway there that he realized that Finn would be at dinner. Finn, who he had just gotten angry at for just trying to help – even if it had been misguided. And Kurt knew he should do something to fix the rift, but all he wanted to do was get through the night without exploding again.

It was depressing to realize that he didn't feel at home anywhere right now, Kurt thought as he pulled into the driveway. Home had Finn who didn't understand, Carole who would undoubtedly offer him sympathy he didn't want, and his Dad who hopefully wouldn't get too angry at Kurt when he realized what he had done. But Dalton had Blaine, and Kurt needed his distance right now.

Burt's head poking out the front door jarred Kurt back to reality and he realized he had been sitting in the car for a good few minutes. Grabbing his bags, Kurt hopped up and headed up towards the front door.

"What's going on, kid?" Burt followed him inside, shutting the door behind him. "I came out because I thought you and that boyfriend of yours were being inappropriate or something - instead I find you, alone. What happened?"

Kurt's heart was already shattered, but hearing his Dad refer to Blaine as his boyfriend was the final straw. "We broke up, Dad," he whispered, beginning to cry again.

"Do I need to talk to that boy?" Burt's expression turned fierce and Kurt knew he was thinking that Blaine had dumped Kurt.

"No, it - it was my f-fault." Kurt shook his head, unable to speak. A second later, he was wrapped in his Dad's arms.

"It's okay, Kurt. You'll work it out."

Kurt shook his head again, burying himself into his Dad's arms. Burt seemed to understand and pulled Kurt over to the couch. "No matter what happens, you're going to be okay. You're a tough one, kid."

Kurt wasn't stupid enough to think that things were going to be alright now. Soon enough, his Dad would want to know what had happened. Finn would arrive home, and he'd have to deal with the aftermath of the afternoon. And tomorrow would bring Dalton, and Blaine.

But right now, wrapped in his dad's arms, Kurt felt more protected from the hurt of the world than ever before.

* * *

><p><strong>Blaine.<strong>

As if it wasn't enough to have his ex boyfriend's old Glee club intervening on his personal life, the world just had to throw _one_ more curveball to put the cherry on top of a truly _excellent_ day.

Opening the door to his dorm, Blaine stopped short at the sight of Wes and David standing with their arms crossed in the middle of the room, wearing identical determined expressions. Blaine groaned internally, his face falling. Usually he would be happy to see them, but right now he just wasn't in the mood.

"What do you want?" he asked flatly, setting his bag down on his bag, facing away from the dynamic duo.

"I noticed that you didn't sign up for a solo audition." Wes said in answer. Just by the tone of his voice, Blaine knew he was raising an eyebrow.

"So?" he asked, failing to see why this merited a visit from them.

"Blaine, you have to audition for a solo." It was David who spoke this time, his voice calm and coaxing.

"And why is that?"

He turned around in time to see them swapping exasperated looks, and his brow furrowed. So, he didn't want to audition for a freaking solo. So _what_? There were other people in the Warblers who had good voices besides _him_.

"Blaine," Wes said, uncrossing his arms, "You can't just throw away this opportunity. This is your _career_."

"I hate to disappoint you," Blaine said coolly, "but I'm going to have a career outside of a high school Glee club."

"Stop playing stupid," Wes snapped, frowning. "You know exactly what I'm getting at here. The _performance_, Blaine. The EP. This could be your one and only chance to be recognized and picked up as an artist, and here you are, willing to wash it all down the drain!"

"Look, I don't feel like doing this right now, okay?" Blaine retorted heatedly. "I've had a crap day, and you aren't helping!"

"We're sorry." David said before Wes had a chance to reply. "But this is important. Keep in mind, this isn't about _us_, Blaine. This is about _you_. We're trying to _help_ you! This is your _dream_, and it has been ever since I met you!"

"I don't know if you noticed, but I've sort of got other things to think about right now." Once again, Blaine found himself avoiding the subject.

"That's just a cop out, and you know it." David's eyes were sympathetic. "I just don't understand. I know you're upset right now, but you can't let this affect your entire future!"

Blaine clenched his teeth, breathing hard through his nose. Who were they to reprimand him like this? It was _his_ choice, not _theirs_!

"Blaine, you're our best soloist." Wes said, his voice a little pleading. "You have a better voice than anyone else in the entire group. If you performed, we'd be a shoe-in. Everyone knows that. But we can't give you a solo unless you audition first."

Blaine sighed resignedly, knowing that he wasn't going to shake them off unless he gave them some kind of answer. "I'll think about it, okay? Can you go away now?"

Wes narrowed his eyes.

"Sure." David said, taking Wes's arm with a warning look. "Sleep on it, okay? Just…ask yourself if it's worth giving up your dreams for."

As they left, Blaine felt a strange sting race through his chest. Singing was his entire life. Carefully, he considered David's last words. _Was_ it worth it? He hesitated, wanting the answer to be yes, so he could go back to moping. But then an image flashed before his eyes, before he could stop it. He pictured himself in a recording studio with the other Warblers. He pictured himself on a stage in front of a screaming crowd with his guitar, singing his heart out. His eyes fluttered open, and he knew that Wes and David were right.

"It's not worth it," he murmured to himself. "This is what you've always wanted. Just _do it_."

With a steeling breath, Blaine strode over to his bed, pulled his guitar from under it, and took out the instrument. It took a moment of him playing random notes to realize that he had no idea what song he should choose. Setting down his guitar and picking up his iPod, he scrolled through the songs. Suddenly, his finger stilled on the touchscreen, and he stared at one title a little open-mouthed. The lyrics ran through his mind, and the beauty, power, and passion of them almost made him burst out crying (again).

"Perfect," he breathed.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Dramatic finish is dramatic! :O What song is Blaine going to do? Is it going to be angry and righteous? Or is it going to be sad and heartbroken? You'll have to wait and see…<strong>_

_**I honestly hope this is the last time me and Sarah have to get angry at you guys. Most of you are awesomely supportive and we love you for it! It's the few morons that just ruin the whole experience that cause these upset Author's Notes.**_

_**So tell me guys, what are your favorite Glee covers (outside of Warbler songs)? There are SO MANY but if I had to narrow mine down to a top five, they would be Marry You, River Deep, Mountain High, I Feel Pretty/Unpretty, Back to Black, and 4 Minutes. For Warbler songs, my favorites are definitely Teenage Dream and Bills, Bills, Bills. What about you? Let me know!**_

_**Au revoir, mes amis!**_

_**~SquirrelzAttack**_


	5. Duet

'**ELLO READERS!**

_**(Angela: Oh dear sweet grilled Cheesus)**_

**Anyway! So, as you may be able to tell, I (Sarah/**_**foraworldundeserving**_**) am a little obsessed with the Klaine skit right now. I've watched New York, London and, of course, the beautiful Dublin one and they're all amazing :) go and check them out if you haven't seen them.**

**In response to Angela's authors note last chapter about the five favorite Glee songs outside of the Warblers, mine are 4 Minutes, I Feel Pretty/Unpretty, Go Your Own Way, Jar of Hearts, and Light Up The World, with My Cup deserving a very honorable mention. As for Warbler songs, favorites are definitely Blackbird, Somewhere Only We Know and Hey, Soul Sister... and the rest of the album ;)**

_**(Angela: I thought you didn't like Hey, Soul Sister because you said Darren didn't sing it as strongly as he could have…?)**_

**Angela had a bit of a rant last chapter. I just want to make it clear that I echo what she said. And unfortunately we've still gotten a few reviews along the same lines, and it honestly does get us quite frustrated and upset because it's like we can never get it right. Writing a story with two writers is actually quite difficult, especially when our time zones are seventeen hours apart. We do have to merge ideas, change things a lot to make it work with the other person's part and so on. But we do it because we love writing, we love working together, and we want to create something that people enjoy reading. We know there are those out there who do enjoy it, and we don't want it ruined for them if we ever get to the point where one of us gets sick of the criticism and throws in the towel. So please, unless it's completely necessary (as in, the story will not work properly if we are not made aware of this particular point), keep it to yourself. If you really aren't liking the story, you know how to leave. **

**But I'm just at the point where I'm done calling people out. You all know how we feel and we've explained that we do know exactly what we're doing with this story, so yeah. I'd much rather focus on our lovely reviewers (which is 95% of you) who tell us how much you love this story... or hate it because it's making you sad. I understand the feeling, I really do. I get quite sad writing Kurt's parts too :(**

**So, all that aside, we hope you enjoy (in a sadistic way, of course!) this chapter, and continue to send us lovely reviews telling us how miserable you are because nothing is Klaine and everything hurts ;)**

**Onwards with Chapter Five!**

* * *

><p><strong>Kurt. <strong>

Kurt hesitated, his hand hovering over the doorknob to Jeff and Wes's room. He knew Wes, David, and Thad were currently working out setlists for the upcoming performance, leaving Jeff alone in the room. Luckily, Jeff was exactly the one Kurt needed to see.

Auditions for the duet were taking place over the next few days, and Kurt wanted in. Of course he did. Kurt never turned down an opportunity to perform, no matter what was going on in his personal life, whether it be a dead bird, his father in the hospital, his boyfriend turning into his ex –

_Don't go there, Kurt._ He blinked a couple of times, forcing the thoughts to the back of his mind where they belonged. _That's not what this is about. _

But in the end, it was. In a perfect world, Kurt would be singing the duet with Blaine. Their voices went well together and their natural chemistry helped in duets. But of course, he and Blaine weren't together anymore and he needed another partner.

Kurt lifted his fist and knocked on the door before he lost his nerve and bolted.

"Come in!" Jeff's voice called from inside. Kurt opened the door, poking his head in to see the blonde boy laying on his bed, texting someone. _Probably Nick_, Kurt thought to himself, trying to ignore just how much that upset him as he stepped in, closing the door behind him.

"Hey Kurt, what can I do for you?" Jeff sat up, putting his phone on his beside table. "Have a seat."

Kurt sat on the edge of Wes's bed, facing his friend. "I've got a favor to ask you."

"Shoot."

"Okay." Kurt took a second to get his head around what he was going to say, then dove in. "Basically, you know I don't have anybody to duet with to audition for the performance and I was wondering – oh wait, have you and Nick planned to sing together?" Kurt nearly hit himself for neglecting this important fact. How could he forget that Nick and Jeff would almost definitely audition together?

"We haven't discussed it yet, to be perfectly honest." Jeff stood, walking over to his desk and rifling through the pages covering it, as if looking for something. "We've had a look at the songs and talked about what we like, but so far we haven't worked out the best song to suit our comparative voices."

Kurt nodded before rolling his eyes at himself. "Yeah, okay. Well, I don't want to intrude, I really don't, but I guess I was wondering if you and Nick end up deciding not to audition together, whether you'd consider singing with me? I mean," he launched into his prepared speech. "Our voices have always sounded good together and they're not necessarily going to get us to sing with the person we perform with if we do make it after all, so you're not stuck with me or anything. It'd just be to give them an idea of our different ranges and how they'd work together and, I mean, only if you want..." Kurt finally snapped his mouth shut and waited, realizing Jeff hadn't said anything yet.

There was a long silence, then a sigh. "I've got to ask you a question," he said, his back still to Kurt. "And if you even think about lying to me, I'm not going to consider it."

"Okay." Kurt bit his lip as Jeff finally turned to face him, looking resigned and a bit weary.

"Are you just doing this to make Blaine jealous?"

When Jeff had been facing away, Kurt could have easily brushed it off, said that wasn't all there was to it and yes there was a bit of appeal that could come from Blaine seeing Kurt happy and moved on - not that he _was_ or anything - but Kurt was beyond such petty things. But with Jeff looking at him in a way that suggested that he knew everything anyway, Kurt caved.

"Okay, yes. I am and I know it's petty and stupid but what else am I meant to do, Jeff? I can't talk to him and –"

"Why not?"

Kurt paused, trying to work out what to say. _Yes, Kurt, why can't you talk to Blaine?_The voice in his head piped up mockingly. _Is it possibly because you managed to burn every bridge when you called him a petulant bitch who you should never have settled for? Or maybe when you told him that you were stupid for ever -_

_Shut up_, he told himself. "You know why, Jeff," he settled for answering vaguely. You saw what happened, after all, and you know I can't…I –"

His throat closed up and he pointedly turned away, looking out the window. There was another sigh, then the bed depressed next to him and Jeff's arm was wrapped loosely around him. "I know, Kurt. You both reacted badly and I know you're hurt, but so is he. And one of you is going to have to break through it and man up, otherwise you'll never work it out."

Kurt shook his head, turning back to Jeff and subtly shuffling away from his arm. "That's not what I came here to talk about," he said firmly, ignoring the look on Jeff's face. "The duet. I'm doing it for stupid reasons, yes, but I need to do something to keep my mind off of…things. So, will you sing with me?"

There was another long silence and Kurt was about ready to give up and leave when Jeff finally answered. "The only reason I'm doing this is because it might shock Blaine into doing something. But I'm accepting no responsibility for the idea, so if Blaine gets mad at me, I'm pointing him straight to you. Deal?"

"Deal." Kurt smiled. "Thanks Jeff, I owe you one."

"Damn straight you do." Jeff finally smiled back before standing up and going back to the desk, coming back with the audition list. "So, we've got three choices. Did you have one in mind?"

Kurt hesitated, then just went for it. _You've come this far, right?_"I want to do _Two Is__Better Than__One_."

Jeff raised an eyebrow. "You really don't do things halfway, do you?" He shook his head. "Okay, I'm going to need to talk to Nick to explain this one, but sure. Let's do it. Do you want to go practice now?"

Kurt nodded and stood up, following Jeff to the music room. As they prepared for their first run through, Kurt couldn't keep the smile on his face for long. Because as much as he would pretend his heart out on the day, the truth was that he would give anything to do this duet with Blaine instead.

_Anything but your pride,_the voice niggled at him again. And this time, Kurt couldn't argue.

* * *

><p><strong>Blaine. <strong>

Blaine walked into the Warblers meeting with even more trepidation than usual, positively dreading what he was going to be forced to sit through. Today was the fourth day for auditions for the upcoming duet, and for some reason Wes had made it mandatory for every Warbler to attend _every single audition_. When Blaine had heard that announcement, he had wanted to hit the annoying council member over the head with his own gavel. And yet, Blaine felt an odd desire to be here. He'd heard through the grapevine that today Kurt was auditioning with _Jeff_ of all people. He knew that Jeff was dating Nick and all, but _still_. The thought of Kurt singing with _any_ guy was enough to make a green monster of jealousy erupt from within him.

Blaine went over to one of the couches and gingerly took a seat, feeling like he was about to be sick. Vaguely, he wondered what Nick thought about all this. Had he and Jeff broken up? He glanced around and saw the other Warbler sitting calmly, staring off into space. Nick didn't look particularly upset…did he not know?

It was at that moment that Wes walked in, with Jeff and Kurt a half-step behind him. Jeff was carrying an acoustic guitar, and had an unreadable expression on his face. Kurt was determinedly looking everywhere except Blaine, and was wearing a set, determined look. _So_, Blaine thought, his queasiness increasing tenfold, _the rumors are true. They _are_ singing together_.

Unfortunately, when Wes took his place and called the meeting to order, Jeff and Kurt weren't the first to perform. They weren't the second to perform, either. In fact, Blaine had to sit through the entire meeting, not listening to whoever was up next, in a state of nauseous anxiety. What he was praying for was that Kurt and Jeff sang a song together that had no relevance or reference to love. Or like. Or, well, anything that remotely hinted at a more-than-friends kind of thing. Blaine hadn't bothered to even spare the audition list a glance, and he had no idea what songs the council had put on it. He dearly hoped there were some songs on there that were completely platonic. Because, if they did sing a song that was lovey-dovey, Blaine thought that he might seriously go into his dorm, lock Thad out, and sob hysterically like a big baby. A big baby who was pining for his ex-boyfriend.

When Wes announced Kurt and Jeff, Blaine's heart was jumping in his throat, and the blood in his ears was pulsing. He knew it was stupid, but even the fact that Jeff was playing a guitar bugged him. He just wanted to jump up and say, "_I_ play guitar too!"

"I know we usually do a capella," Jeff said, nervously plucking at a string, "but I thought that, for this song, guitar would be better."

With that, the blond Warbler cleared his throat and played the opening notes. Looking over at Kurt, he took a deep breath and began to sing.

"_I remember what you wore on the first day_

_You came into my life and I thought, hey_

_You know this could be something_

'_Cause everything you do and words you say_

_You know that it all takes my breath away_

_And now I'm left with nothing"_

Blaine could feel his blood rushing, and jealousy engulfed him, swallowing him whole and blocking out most of his other senses. Really? Two Is Better Than One? Did they _have_ to choose that song? Instead of throwing up, Blaine really wanted to punch something…again. Preferably Jeff this time.

Kurt looked over at Jeff and gave him a smile, taking the high harmony as they sang the chorus together.

"_So maybe it's true, that I can't live without you_

_And maybe two is better than one_

_There's so much time to figure out the rest of my life_

_And you've already got me coming undone_

_I'm thinking two is better than one"_

Kurt took a deep breath and took the next verse, still looking directly at Jeff. Jeff stared right back, smiling slightly. This was so weird. It wasn't natural. Seriously, what the hell? A few of the other Warblers were looking from Kurt to Blaine to Nick to Jeff and back again, utterly confused. _Well, join the club_, Blaine thought wryly, his envy causing adrenaline to race through his veins at a lightning speed.

"_I remember every look upon your face_

_The way you roll your eyes, the way you taste_

_You make it hard for breathing_

'_Cause when I close my eyes and drift away_

_I think of you and everything's okay_

_I'm finally now believing"_

Blaine choked and nearly stood up at the word 'taste.' Holy hell, had Kurt and Jeff been _making out_? But…but that was impossible, right? Wasn't Jeff going out with Nick? He glanced sideways to gauge Nick's reaction, but Nick was just watching the performance impassively, his face blank. No reaction whatsoever. What the hell? _Stop it Blaine! It's just a song!_ he told himself sternly.

Jeff and Kurt were still looking at each other, and not making eye contact with anyone else in the room. It looked like they were lost in their own little world, serenading each other just like _Blaine_ and Kurt used to do. Blaine felt hatred running through him like a drug, directed straight at Jeff. That idiotic, blond-haired, guitar-playing, singing little bastard!

"_That maybe it's true, that I can't live without you_

_And maybe two is better than one_

_There's so much time to figure out the rest of my life_

_But you've already got me coming undone_

_And I'm thinking two is better than one"_

Blaine raised his eyes to glare at the ceiling, letting out an angry breath through his nose. A few of the others were now regarding him warily, as if he might suddenly combust and blow up everything within a two-mile radius. In that moment, he felt as if he just might do that. And hopefully blow up Jeff in the process. Because, _god_ he hated Jeff right now. How dare he sing a duet with Kurt? What right did he have to do this to Blaine _and_ Nick? Oh, when he got his hands on that little blond bitch he was going to –

"_Ooh, I can't live without you_

'_Cause, baby, two is better than one_

_There's so much time to figure out the rest of my life_

_And you've already got me coming undone_

_Two is better than one_

_Two is better than one"_

Jeff played the final note on the guitar, and their combined voices faded into silence, _finally_ looking away from each other to smile at the room at large. The room was completely silent. No applause, no cheers, no nothing. It was almost as if no one breathed. Jeff began to look highly uncomfortable, his smile fading away quickly, and he fidgeted where he stood, tugging at the collar of his shirt.

Wes cleared his throat, bringing the attention in the room back to the council. "Thank you, Jeff and Kurt," he said, straightening the papers in front of him. "We'll have the results back to you soon. Nice job, everybody."

Wes banged his gavel, and the meeting was adjourned. Blaine stood and stormed out, glaring at nothing as he went. The crowd seemed to part magically as he passed, giving him plenty of space to get ahead of everybody else. He reached up and violently undid the knot on his tie, yanking the strip of fabric off. He needed to get out of here. He needed space to breath.

Reaching his dorm, Blaine slammed the door behind him and leaned against it, trying to calm himself down. _You'll_ _get over it_, said the voice in his head, _you just need some time to cool off and forget about Kurt completely_.

But in his subconscious, Blaine knew that was crap. He knew he was never going to get over Kurt. Not in a million years.

* * *

><p><strong>Angsty!Blaine now discovers a new emotion: anger. How's that for a development? ;) I swear they're moving backwards sometimes... <strong>

**And just to make it clear, Nick and Jeff are still together. This didn't break them up or anything (I swear sometimes we love Nick/Jeff more than Klaine...)**

**Well, darlings, that's all from me :) See you in Chapter Seven!**

**Love Sarah (**_**foraworldundeserving**_**)**


	6. Closet Slideshow

**_Yo! What up, homedawgs?_**

**(Sarah: *facepalm*)**

**_That was me attempting to be gangster. FAIL, I know. D= I did my best…_**

**_So anyway, SquirrelzAttack here for chapter six! And I would like to say that I had WAY too much fun writing this chapter! Literally at the last second, me and Sarah/foraworldundeserving were talking about this chapter and we were all like, "Wait…we only have one thing planned…how are we supposed to do that?" And then what ended up being Blaine's half popped into my mind and I was like, "OMG this image just came into my mind of…" =D It was a blast, and hopefully you get a couple laughs out of it, to ease up on all the heavy angst going around._**

**_Please, please, PLEASE don't hate on Jeff! He's not trying to steal Kurt, he's perfectly happy being all wanky with Nick! I absolutely adore Nick/Jeff, and there is no way they are breaking up. Jeff is siriusly one of my favorite Warblers (is that because Riker Lynch is hot? …Maybe. -_-). So no hating on Jeff! It was truly difficult for me to write Blaine hating him, and I urge you not to follow Blaine's lead! I promise you that Jeff's intentions were good, and he had a decent motive._**

**_So, today (July 11th) in me and Sarah's two month anniversary! WOO! =D Two months to the since we started talking. Little did either of us know what we were getting into…So BE GRATEFUL that we met at all. After all, if she hadn't replied to the review I left on Kiss, none of this would've happened. So, if you want to blame anyone for this story…Blame her. Yeah. Blame her. =D I keed, I keed. I love her, and hope that we continue emailing each other for many months to come! (Yay for cheesy sentimental statements that are so cliché they make you gag!)_**

**_Okay, enough of that cheesy but necessary sentimental crap. Read on, fellow Gleeks! Enjoy! =D_**

* * *

><p><strong>Kurt.<strong>

"Hey, Kurt?"

Kurt looked up from his textbook, frowning angrily. Honestly, he had _just _managed to get his mind off Blaine for long enough to study and catch up on homework, and now more interruptions? But he knew he couldn't blame Richard, who was smiling just a bit too happily for Kurt's liking.

_Not everybody has to be depressed just because you are, _Kurt reminded himself. "What can I do for you, Richard?"

"Oh, we're having an emergency Warbler meeting. Wes sent me to get you."

"What is it this time?" Kurt pulled his books together and stood. As if those stupid lunchtime meetings - where he and Blaine were _still _forced to sit together unless one of them could time it well enough to avoid it - weren't bad enough, Wes liked to call 'emergency meetings' for matters that were, of course, of the utmost importance. The last one had been on which knot they should use to tie their ties for their performance (Kurt's suggestion of simply switching to bow ties had been rejected, to his disappointment.)

"I'm not sure," Richard shrugged as he led him out of the room. "Probably something about which way to hold the iron when we iron our blazers for the performance."

Kurt snorted as they walked towards the choir room. "So," Richard continued, "how are you holding up with things with Blaine?"

"Fine," Kurt answered on autopilot, eliciting an incredulous noise from the Warbler. "Well, seriously, Richard. How do you _think _I'm doing?"

Richard sighed. "I think you're going through hell. I've been through breakups, I know the feeling." Kurt wanted to argue, to tell Richard that he _didn't _know what it was like because he had never lost someone as _amazing _as Blaine, but held his tongue, knowing he'd just sound whiny and petulant.

"And all of the Warblers have your best interests at heart, Kurt. Both you and Blaine." Richard hesitated for a split second. "So that's why this is for your own good."

_What?_

Kurt looked up, confused, just as they turned the corner. He immediately wished he hadn't, because Andrew was leaning against the wall just ahead, Blaine standing beside him. "Richard?" he hissed quietly, trying not to look in the direction of his ex boyfriend. "What exactly is 'for my own good'?"

Andrew looked up from his phone. "Richard."

"Andrew."

Kurt didn't quite know how it had happened, but the next thing he knew, Richard had both of his arms behind his back. A muffled curse indicated that Blaine was in a similar position. "Let me go!"

A quick shove to the back found Kurt stumbling into the supply closet he had overlooked with the door conveniently open. As he turned to push back out, Kurt had to step back hastily as Blaine was shoved in after him. Before he could react, the door slammed shut and Kurt heard the sound of a key turning.

"Alright, listen up!" Andrew's voice filtered through the door. "We're doing this because there's just no choice anymore. You two need to sort things out for the sake of the Warblers, the sake of our performance, the sake of our _sanity_... and for yourselves, of course. This is for your own good!"

Kurt resisted the urge to hit his head against the wall. _What the hell is it with all of our 'friends' thinking they're being __helpful__ when they stage crap like this? _"This is none of your business!" he yelled at the door. "Let us out!"

"It definitely is!" Richard took over, sounding as if he was smirking. "So basically we're not letting you out for a bit. Take the time to talk about things, sort it out and all that. We'll be back in a few."

"Minutes?" Kurt asked hopefully. He could handle a couple of _minutes _alone with Blaine, just as long as it wasn't...

"Hours." There was a chuckle, then Andrew continued talking. "Make the most of it, because we're not letting _you_ out until you _make_ out!"

There was a grunt, as if Richard had elbowed Andrew. "He means make up. So work it out! Bye, guys!"

As the sound of receding footsteps was heard, Kurt lost it. "If you imbeciles don't open this door _right. Freaking. Now._ I swear in the name of Prada that I will murder you in your sleep!" There was no response, and he banged on the door a few times before trying the handle. _Yep, locked._ Kurt growled lightly before turning back around and pausing. _Oh... right. There's more to this than just being locked in a closet._

Blaine had slumped to the ground, his legs tucked up to his chest. He was resting his chin lightly on his knees and staring out the small window at the top of the wall. Kurt stared at him for a second before turning away, feeling his blood start to boil. _Honestly, could he make it any __clearer__ that he doesn't want to be in here with me? _Making as much room between himself and Blaine as he could - which wasn't easy considering the size of the closet - Kurt sat on the floor and crossed his legs. Even with that action, their legs were still almost touching, and Kurt knew he had to redirect his thoughts.

_Okay, let's see what we're working with. _Kurt's mind began to run through the problem. _You're locked in a closet with your ex boyfriend. The two idiots who locked you in are gone, and you have no idea how long it will be before they return. _

He glanced over at Blaine again who was still staring determinedly in the other direction. _Said ex boyfriend wants nothing to do with you... no, you're not going to cry! _Kurt blinked furiously, staring down into his lap until he had more control over his emotions. _Okay, there's no way out and nobody to talk to. What are you going to do for the next few hours?_

His leg knocked up against his textbooks that he had dropped as he had been pushed in. Stacking them up neatly, Kurt sighed as he saw the crinkled pages and attempted to straighten them. _Seriously, if they had just left me in the library, I could be studying..._

_Oh, right._

Pulling his books onto his lap, Kurt flipped back to where he was up to and continued to read. Or, at least attempted to. Every time Kurt actually began to absorb information, Blaine would sigh or switch positions, and Kurt's attention would be drawn to him instantly. He couldn't bear to actually look at his ex boyfriend, but he was always aware of what Blaine was up to.

_Okay, just focus. _Kurt flipped the page and continued to read. Somehow he managed to pass a good ten minutes without focusing on Blaine, before his curiosity took over. _What's he doing?_

Cautiously, Kurt raised his eyes to the figure of Blaine, then had to suppress a snort. _How on earth does he do that?_

Blaine was asleep and had somehow slumped himself into a position where he was half-lying down, half leaning against the wall. His neck was on an awkward angle that Kurt knew was going to hurt when he woke up. Kurt stared into his face for the first time properly since the break-up and noticed the small frown on Blaine's face. _He's miserable, even in sleep._

Kurt couldn't stop the guilt from washing through him as he realized what kind of opportunity he had passed up. While Richard and Andrew's methods were certainly lacking - and Kurt vowed to have some stern words with the two (or pitch a fit, whatever mood he was in at the time) - he realized that their intentions were right. To get himself and Blaine into a situation where there was no choice but for them to talk things out.

Except the other Warblers hadn't _quite _taken into account how stubborn the two boys were. And Kurt was beginning to regret his own behavior.

"Why didn't you just suck it up and talk to him in the beginning?" he whispered to himself, still staring at the sleeping form of his ex boyfriend. Blaine shifted slightly, his frown growing more pronounced, and Kurt felt the tears welling up as he watched him. One of his favorite things when he and Blaine were together was when he had the opportunity to catch his boyfriend sleeping and could just lie there with him, running his fingers through his hair. Back then, Blaine always slept peacefully with a smile on his face, and Kurt wondered whether he had slept well at all since the breakup. Kurt sure hadn't.

The sound of footsteps could be heard coming towards the closet, and Kurt hastily picked up his book, pretending to read again. The feet stopped outside the cupboard, then Kurt heard a whisper; "Can you hear anything?"

"No," Andrew's voice replied quietly. "Think that's a good sign."

"Well, I don't want to walk in on them making out or anything."

Andrew sighed. "Come on, let's just let them out. At least they're not fighting or anything."

The key turned in the lock and the door swung open. Kurt looked up from his textbook, fixing the two boys with his best glare - which had really been perfected since the break up, he noticed - and raised an eyebrow. "So, decided to let us out, have you?"

Richard stared at him, then turned to face Blaine who was struggling back into a sitting position, blinking rapidly. "Where am I?"

"You're kidding me, right?" Andrew whipped his head back to Kurt, looking incredulous. "You spent the time studying?"

"And you _slept_?" Richard was staring at Blaine in a similar fashion. "We left you in here for just over an hour and you didn't talk or _anything_?"

Instead of replying, Blaine simply stood and pushed past the other two. Kurt could hear him walking rapidly down the hallway and he ducked his head, fighting the familiar battle with his emotions. Andrew knelt down next to him, trying to catch his eye. "Kurt?"

"Did you seriously think that would _help?_" Kurt couldn't help the way his voice sounded, broken and lost. But he _was_. "You thought that locking two people who hadn't talked in over a _week_ in a _cupboard _was going to yield results?"

"Well we hoped _something _would." Richard raked a hand through his hair. "None of us like seeing you two like this -"

"Look, tell me something. If Wes's girlfriend dumped him, would you interfere this much?"

Andrew glanced over his shoulder at Richard. "No," he replied. "But you know why? Because we've never seen anything like you and Blaine before. You two had what was seriously the most perfect relationship, and everybody _wants _what you two have. So to see you both willing to throw it away over a simple misunderstanding... well, we have to do something. Don't you see where we're coming from?"

Kurt sighed, grabbing his books together and standing. "Yes," he admitted quietly. "It doesn't mean I have to like it. So please, just leave us alone."

With that, he pushed past Richard and made his way out the door. Assuming that there wasn't actually a Warbler rehearsal he was missing, Kurt headed to his room, praying that David wasn't there as the first tears began to run down his cheeks. But, of course, his day just wasn't going to go right.

"Kurt?" David glanced up, frowning. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"David, just leave me alone." Kurt fell back on his bed, grabbing his iPhone and plugging in the earphones. He knew he was being unfair to David, but right now, all he wanted to do was be alone with his music, and try to drown out his thoughts.

As _The Scientist _began to blast through his ears, Kurt saw David leave the room, a thoughtful look on his face. But Kurt ignored him, simply focusing on the words pouring into his mind.

"_Nobody said it was easy,_

_It's such a shame for us to part,_

_Nobody said it was easy,_

_No one ever said it would be this hard."_

_Damn straight, _thought Kurt as the tears continued to pour down his face. _Nobody ever warned me about this part of falling in love. _

* * *

><p><strong>Blaine. <strong>

When Saturday afternoon rolled around, Blaine could be found calmly practicing for his solo audition, working out a key change, and mostly trying to put the previous day's events behind him. 'Awkward' didn't even _begin_ to describe it, but he was trying his best to move on from that painful experience and focus on getting a solo. Despite not wanting one before, he knew now that he had to at least audition. He had nothing to lose, right?

Just as Blaine was getting around to his first full run through the song, the door burst open, revealing Cameron, who was panting as if he'd just run a marathon.

"Wes…emergency meeting…common room…told to get you…" Cameron doubled over, gasping for air.

"Are you okay?" Blaine asked, alarmed, setting his guitar aside and going over to the younger Warbler.

Cameron waved off his concern. "I'm – I'm fine. Wes…told me to come quickly…Oh boy…" he leaned against the door frame, catching his breath. After a moment, he straightened up again, his breathing evening out. "So, come on."

Blaine frowned as he followed Cameron out into the hall and down the corridor. What was so important that Wes had to call an emergency meeting? On a _Saturday_ no less, when some people would be out of town.

Immediately when he entered the common room, Blaine knew something was wrong. For one thing, every single Warbler was in the room, sprawled over the couches, squishing into armchairs, even kicking back on the floor. As far as he knew, at least five of the Warblers didn't board, and always went home for the weekend. So what was everyone doing here?

That was when Blaine noticed Wes, David, and Thad standing next to a projector hooked up to a laptop, Wes holding a remote in one hand and his gavel in the other. Out of the corner of his eye, Blaine saw Kurt sitting in a chair, his arms crossed, sulking. The others were giving him a wide berth. Then, with a now-familiar sense of dread, something clicked.

This was another Warblervention.

Blaine stopped short, narrowing his eyes. "You can't be serious."

Wes smirked and turned to David. "You owe me five bucks. Told you he was smart enough to figure it out."

David rolled his eyes.

"Look, Blaine," Wes said, turning back to face him, "this is going to happen whether you like it or not. So take a seat."

"I'll stand, thanks." Blaine said coldly, crossing his arms.

"Your choice." Wes said with a shrug. "Cam, hit the lights."

There was a click in the back, and the room was suddenly washed in darkness. The curtains had been drawn over the windows, and Blaine could barely make out the faint outlines of the council as they fiddled with the machinery, arguing pointlessly over it.

"No – David! It's _this_ button!"

"No it's not, I read the instruction manual, unlike _you_. It's _this_ one!"

"Guys, you know that it's already on, right?"

"It is?"

"Uh, yeah. You just need to take the cap off…"

Thad reached forward and plucked the cap off of the lens, and suddenly a huge image of a fluffy white bunny was on the wall.

"Really, David? Fluffy bunnies as your screensaver?"

"Shut up and click the icon already!"

A mouse double-clicked, and the picture on the wall changed to a navy blue wickerwork design, with large white letters that read out, "TEN REASONS WHY KURT AND BLAINE SHOULD GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER AND MAKE OUT ALREADY."

Blaine sighed resignedly. They were really going to push this, weren't they? What a waste of time…he could be practicing right now…

Wes pressed a button on his remote, and the slide changed, showing a picture of a large red roller coaster.

"This first slide depicts reason number one why Kurt and Blaine should get back together: Roller coasters. If you were still together, you could be on a date at Six Flags, riding amazing roller coasters and having a wonderful time. By staying stubbornly broken up, you are depriving yourselves of a fun time on a great roller coaster at an awesome amusement park. So _there_."

Wes stepped back and handed the remote over to David, who hit the button. The roller coaster disappeared and was replaced by a large illustration of a broom closet.

"Reason number two: If you were still together, it wouldn't be necessary for Richard and Andrew to lock you in closets. Enough said."

Blaine glared over at the two boys, both of whom had the good sense to look slightly ashamed of themselves. Thad snatched the remote away from David and hurriedly clicked to the next slide.

"Along that same vein," he said, looking between Kurt and Blaine, "is reason number three: If you were still together, you would use any time locked in a closet for _useful_, _beneficial _things. You would use it for the _right_ purposes, not to do _homework _and _sleep_." He shook his head disgustedly, holding the remote out for Wes to take again.

This time, the slide showed an acoustic guitar. Wes turned to face the Warblers, his expression slightly incensed. "Reason four: If Klaine was still together, they would audition for duets together, instead of forcing everybody else through the awkwardness of watching Jeff try and fail to flirt with a guy other than Nick. Sorry Jeff, but I don't think you fooled anybody except Blaine."

Across the room, Blaine caught sight of Jeff murmuring something into Nick's ear, looking apologetic. Nick nodded almost sadly, turning to give his boyfriend a quick peck. Just seeing how easily they were affectionate send a shard of ice through Blaine's chest. He looked away, desperately wishing that he and Kurt were still like that.

He had missed David changing the slide (which was an enormous coffee bean), but his friend's next words snapped him back to attention.

"Reason five: The Lima Bean has reported a significant drop in sales ever since you two broke up. By not being together, not only are you hurting yourselves, you're hurting the _community_. If the coffee shop shuts down, it's going to be all your fault."

David stepped aside and tossed the remote into the air. Thad caught it easily, switching the slide to a picture of Cameron and Nelson clutching at their hair, their faces livid. Blaine raised an eyebrow.

"This, Warblers, is reason six: It's much easier to refer to you as Klaine rather than Kurt and Blaine. By staying apart, you're adding two syllables to every sentence referring to the both of you. Those two syllables represent precious time in which we could all be doing something more useful. The loss of these two highly important syllables drives some of us to the point of insanity, as is shown here."

_These sound like really stupid reasons_, Blaine thought irately, glancing back at the door. He was disappointed when he saw Cameron still standing against it, with a look that said, _Don't even think about it_.

"Reason seven," Wes continued, gesturing to the makeshift screen, which was now two cartoon eyes with deep purple bags under them. "You have both been crying copiously since the breakup. Did you know that crying makes your eyelids saggy? Do you _want_ saggy eyelids? I didn't think so."

Blaine snuck a quick glance at Kurt, and had to repress a snort of laughter at the horrified look on the countertenor's face. Did he actually _believe_ that? It wasn't true…was it?

"Reason eight: Food." David said, clicking the button over his shoulder. The slide faded out briefly before fading back in, showing a silver platter with a roast chicken on it. Just the sight made Blaine's stomach remind him that he hadn't eaten yet.

"Now, we have noticed that ever since the breakup you've been skipping meals." Blaine flushed and tried not to look guilty. "Although this may seem like a clever weight-loss technique, it's _not_! It's not healthy! You're damaging yourselves via malnutrition, and you're lessening the funding in this school. Do you want Dalton to go broke? Do you want to die because you're not eating enough? NO! So get back together already!"

_Just two more_, Blaine told himself firmly, steeling himself for the next one, rubbing his aching temple, _just two more_.

The next picture was a bright yellow smiley face.

"Reason nine: Happiness." Thad said, glancing at the smiley. "If you were together, you'd be _happy_ and not _miserable_. HAPPY and not MISERABLE. Do you remember what being happy is like? If you don't, then let me give you a little insight: It feels good. Being happy is a good thing. Being miserable is _not_."

With a hard, meaningful stare, Thad handed the remote one last time to Wes.

"And now for the final and most important reason of all!" Wes announced dramatically, pressing the button. The slide was a picture taken from one of their many impromptu performances, with all of the Warblers singing their hearts out.

"Reason ten: This is the most important reason _of all_, okay?" Wes asked, staring all of them down. "If you two were together, we could be practicing for the performance instead of putting together slideshows. So, all of that lost practice time is your fault."

The lights flickered on again. Wes, David, and Thad all looked exceptionally pleased themselves, and shared a few bromance moments before fading into silence. Every eye in the room was either focused on Kurt or Blaine, anxiously waiting to see their reactions.

Blaine cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention towards him. "No offense guys, but that was the stupidest thing you've ever made me sit through, _including_ that Family Guy marathon. If you're trying to get us back together, you're failing. You're _epicly_ failing."

Rolling his eyes, he turned and swept out of the room and back down the hall towards his dorm. That had been a complete waste of twenty minutes. Sighing wearily, he quickened his pace. He had a solo audition to practice for.

* * *

><p><strong><em>There you go! Did you like the slideshow? ;) They're getting desperate, can you tell? It's TOTALLY not obvious….*cough*<em>**

**_And I know, I'm totally teasing you with the solo audition thing! You'll find out what song it is soon…maybe. ;) It fits very well into Klaine's situation right now, so hopefully you'll like it when you find out what it is!_**

**_One thing: If we get reviewers telling us that the closet thing is predictable, cliché, and/or cheesy and/or stupid, I swear I am going to pull a Puck and go all Death Star on them. Just a fair warning. We've taken a lot of crap for this story, and I'm just about at the end of my tether with putting up with it. So, consider yourself warned, and if you receive a very angry PM from me, don't say I didn't warn you. We recieved a review recently...let's say I came close to chewing them out, but didn't._**

**_See you in chapter eight, dear readers!_**

**_~SquirrelzAttack_**


	7. Auditions

**Welcome, readers, to Chapter ... *checks notes* Seven! **

**Not much to report this time. Of course we still get a few criticisms, but we're fairly confident that they're dealt with this time so I'm not going to go into them here. Thanks so much for everybody who has left lovely reviews, Angela and I love sending them to each other :) **

**We've had a few people ask us how long the story will end up being. And this number isn't definite because we cut a chapter just the other day, but we're looking at around 15 chapters. So we're pretty much halfway already! And we're starting to get into the stuff that Angela and I have been really excited about, so I can't wait to share that with you guys! :) **

**So, without further ado, enjoy our miserable little story! ;)**

* * *

><p><strong>Kurt. <strong>

"I now call this meeting to order."

Thad reached for the gavel, only to be stopped by a loud cough by Wes. "Don't even think about it. Just because I'm auditioning doesn't mean you get to take my place."

"Um... right." Thad lowered his hand awkwardly. "Well, since Wes has kindly told us what todays meeting is about... anyway, we have two auditions today for the lead slot in our group performance. First up is our esteemed council member, Wesley."

Wes glared at Thad before standing to scattered clapping from the group. Kurt sat up a little straighter, quirking an eyebrow. He had never actually heard Wes sing alone before and was interested to see how this was going to turn out.

"What are you singing for us, Wes?" Thad prompted.

"I'll be performing _Rhythm of Love_, the newest release from the Plain White T's," Wes announced. A few members of the group murmured in recognition, Kurt being one of them. He was instantly skeptical though. _This is one of my favourites. If Wes screws this up..._

"_My head is stuck in the clouds,_

_She begs me to come down,_

_Says 'Boy, quit foolin' around',"_

Kurt blinked in surprise. Wes was _good_...

A few of the other Warblers were also looking around in surprise, before David began to chime in with some backing vocals. Everybody else caught on and began to join in.

"_I told her 'I love the view from up here,_

_Warm sun and wind in my ear,_

_We'll watch the world from above,_

_As it turns to the rhythm of love',"_

Wes shucked off his blazer to the wolf-whistles of Nick and Cameron. Kurt laughed, shaking his head at the antics of the other two as Wes broke into the chorus.

"_We may only have tonight,_

_But 'till the morning sun, you're mine_

_All mine,_

_Play the music low, and sway to the rhythm of love."_

Kurt found himself having fun - something he hadn't done in quite some time. His mind unhelpfully tried to remind him why he hadn't been having fun lately, which he attempted to block out. But Kurt couldn't help himself from shooting a sideways glance at Blaine who was swaying along, a smile on his face. _Well, at least he's happy too_, Kurt thought, trying to drown the ache in his chest by focusing back in on Wes.

"_When the moon is low,_

_We can dance in slow motion,_

_And all your tears will subside,_

_All your tears will dry,"_

Nick and Jeff stood, pretending to slow dance around the room. Out of the corner of his eye, Kurt saw Blaine's fists clench until the two stopped. Not sure what was going on there and trying not to think about it, Kurt joined the rest of the Warblers as they stood, humming along to the music.

Wes jumped onto the low coffee table and belted out the last lines. Kurt immediately wished he had a camera to take a photo of this moment - Wes Montgomery, Head Warbler and strict rule-keeper, dancing on a table? It was quite the sight.

"_We may only have tonight,_

_But 'till the morning sun, you're mine_

_All mine,_

_Play the music low, and sway to the rhythm of love!"_

Wes stepped off the coffee table, bowing slightly to the loud applause ringing around the room. Kurt joined in enthusiastically, wondering how someone could top _that_.

"Wes, where have you been hiding that _voice_?" Andrew piped up, shaking his head in amazement. The others nodded in agreement and Wes looked slightly proud.

"In the back of the group, singing baritone," Wes stated matter-of-factly. "Anyway, thank you, but I'm not the only one auditioning today." He stared at the group until they took the hint, sitting back down.

Thad cleared his throat. "Next up, and last for today, will be David."

Kurt's eyebrow raised again as David stood. _Another unexpected one_. But as David glanced at Wes, Kurt realized that the Council finally wanted to be known for more than calling order and banging gavels. After all, they were Warblers too, they deserved to have their voices heard.

Kurt had considered auditioning for the group performance as well as the duet, but after how well his duet had been received, he decided to lay low for a little bit. After all, he was going to audition for a solo, and it was probably better to put a lot of practice into that instead of working on another song. Speaking of which, he probably needed to start rehearsing... and choose a song...

David began to talk, and Kurt put it to the back of his mind, deciding to go through his iPod later to find the perfect song. In his thinking, he had missed the name of the song David was going to sing, but picked up from the second Wes began to sing the backing vocals. _No way..._

"_You ready!"_

Kurt couldn't help himself - he cracked up laughing. He wasn't the only one either; Nick was biting his cheek across the room while Jeff doubled over, attempting to stifle his laughter. _Oh, David... Jesse J? Really?_

"_Seems like everybody's got a price,_

_I wonder how they sleep at night,_

_When the sale comes first and the truth comes second,_

_Just stop for a minute and smile,"_

Kurt's laugher died as David began to sing the song. Somehow David was managing to make the song work perfectly for him and the rest of the Warblers were taking note. Thad in particular looked very impressed... but it wasn't down to him, Kurt remembered. This time it was up to the rest of them to decide.

"_Why is everybody so serious?_

_Acting so damn mysterious_

_You got shades on your eyes and your heels so high_

_That you can't even have a good time,"_

_I really don't know how I'll decide between these two, _Kurt thought to himself. Even though there were probably others to audition, Kurt already knew that it was going to be either Wes or David up there leading the show. Both of their voices were incredible and their stage presence was ... well, compelling. Kurt realized he was already on his feet, joining in the backing vocals as David sang.

"_It's not about the money, money, money_

_We don't need your money, money, money_

_We just wanna make the world dance_

_Forget about the price tag,"_

It really was a fitting song for David, being the only Warbler who could dance - besides Kurt of course. The rest of the group were standing around, swaying, while David was actually dancing around the room as he sang.

"_Ain't about the cha-ching, cha-ching,_

_Ain't about the ba-bling, ba-bling,"_

David popped his collar and Kurt snorted. _That boy does not do gangster well._

"_Wanna make the world dance,_

_Forget about the price tag."_

Thankfully, David skipped over the rap part and Kurt saw a few of the Warbler breathe sighs of relief. David had attempted to rap 'gangsta style!' for them once and it led to an immediate Warbler Injunction against him to, "never attempt that again."

"_It's not about the money, money, money_

_We don't need your money, money, money_

_We just wanna make the world dance_

_Forget about the price tag,"_

Kurt glanced over to see how Wes was feeling about it all and realized the Council member was having the most fun. And that was when Kurt realized what this whole performance was about - it was a huge opportunity yes, but it was about them having a great time as a group. And Kurt knew he had been missing out on that by letting himself drown in his depression. He had been upset, yes, and he still was. But the opportunity in front of them was once in a lifetime, and Kurt needed to get his priorities straight.

"_Ain't about the cha-ching, cha-ching,_

_Ain't about the ba-bling, ba-bling,_

_Wanna make the world dance,_

_Forget about the price tag."_

Yes, Blaine was important, but right now Blaine wanted nothing to do with him. Kurt needed to throw everything he had into his performance, if not only to use it as an excuse to forget.

"_Yeah, yeah,_

_Forget about the price tag."_

The applause was rambunctious and David's grin was huge. "Thanks everyone." He nodded to Wes who was also smiling. "We had fun."

As the Council took their seats again, Cameron stood. "I'm pulling out of my audition."

Murmurs filled the room until Wes banged his gavel loudly - clearly making up for ten minutes without it. "Why, Warbler Cameron?"

"Simple. You two were awesome. I can't top that, and one of you should definitely get to lead the introductory number, if not both of you."

Nick stood, glancing at Cameron appreciatively. "Why not both?" Kurt immediately realized where this was going. _That's a brilliant idea! _"You both did an incredible job and we know your voices work well together. You're going to be picking the setlist anyway, so why not pick something you two can sing well together? It can be like... like a Council number!"

Jeff coughed loudly and Nick turned to see him pointing subtly towards Thad. "Oh! Um..."

Thad rolled his eyes. "No offense taken, Warbler Jeff. I can easily introduce us after Wes and David have brought the house down."

Jeff sat back down, looking satisfied. David and Wes swapped a shocked glance before David stared back at the group. "But... nobody else has auditioned. Is that fair?"

Kurt sighed, standing. "All in favor of Wes and David taking dual lead in the opening number of the performance?" He glanced around the room - avoiding looking directly at Blaine of course - to see every hand raised. Glancing back at the table, he saw Thad also had his hand raised, smirking at his fellow council members. "This is the part where you say 'decided'," he said helpfully to Wes, sitting back down and copying Thad's smirk.

Wes shook his head, a smile crossing his face. "Decided," he said reluctantly, tapping his gavel. "Thank you, guys."

"Yeah. It means a lot," David added, shaking his head in wonder. "Well, we'd better go sort out the setlist then. Meeting dismissed, and don't forget to come back this afternoon for more solo auditions!"

As Kurt stood, he heard Wes and David immediately break into conversation. "... something from _Ke$ha_, maybe?" "No, my voice doesn't _quite _go that high..."

Kurt shook his head, smiling softly. _It's going to be interesting, that's for sure,_ he decided. Quickly heading down to his room, Kurt shut the door behind him and fell on his bed, grabbing his iPod. It was time to get to work.

**Blaine.**

"Up next is Jeff Sterling." Wes said, reading off of the audition sign-up sheet he had.

There was polite applause as Jeff stood up. Blaine refrained from joining in. He was still pretty ticked at Jeff for going through with the whole love song duet fiasco with Kurt. Even seeing the other Warbler was enough to sour Blaine's mood for the entire day. As it was, Blaine felt resentment and irritation jab him insistently in the gut, rising in his throat like bile. _He doesn't even have a good voice_, Blaine thought, half-scornful, half-sulky. Deep down, he knew that wasn't true. Jeff was one of the best singers in the entire club. But Blaine wasn't about to admit that, even to himself.

"I'm going to be singing Kiss From A Rose for you guys today," Jeff said with a smile, rubbing his hands together, "And, as always, any backing is welcomed."

_Yeah right_, Blaine thought, rolling his eyes. _Like I'll be backing YOU_. If Jeff was going to sing this song to Kurt…Blaine was _certain_ that he would blow a gasket, and most likely storm out.

The chatter in the room died down as Jeff stepped into the center of the room. He glanced back over his shoulder at Nick, who grinned and winked at him. Looking heartened, Jeff turned his attention to the council, appeared to steel himself, and began to sing.

"_There used to be a graying tower alone on the sea_

_You became the light on the dark side of me_

_Love remained a drug that's the high and not the pill"_

What pissed Blaine off even more was that Jeff actually sounded _good_. Better than good. His voice was smooth and compelling, and he'd made an infuriatingly perfect song choice. His voice was just right to be able to pull off Seal. Blaine had been secretly hoping that the blonde would pick something embarrassing, make a fool of himself in front of everybody, and just generally screw himself over.

"_But did you know,_

_That when it snows,_

_My eyes become large and_

_The light that you shine can be seen"_

What happened next made Blaine's blood just _boil_. Jeff turned around and sang directly to Nick, smiling softly. A few people smirked in amusement as Nick flushed lightly, grinning despite himself. Blaine jaw dropped open in amazement. He couldn't _believe_ what he was seeing. How could Nick let himself be played like that? Had he not _seen_ the duet audition or something? This was…ludicrous. Completely ludicrous.

"_Baby,_

_I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the gray._

_Ooh, the more I get of you,_

_The stranger it feels, yeah_

_And now that your rose is in bloom_

_A light hits the gloom on the gray"_

Blaine recalled how yesterday Nick and Jeff had been so openly affectionate. The memory of it set him off even further. _Why the hell are they acting like such a happy freaking perfect couple? _

Jeff invitingly stretched a hand towards his boyfriend. Nick looked up at him with a mixture of affection, amusement, and embarrassment. His expression clearly said, _really, Jeff? Really?_ Jeff reached down and grabbed his hand, pulling him up and into the center of the room, his eyes teasing but loving.

"_There is so much a man can tell you,_

_So much he can say._

_You remain,_

_My power, my pleasure, my pain, baby_

_To me you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny._

_Won't you tell me is that healthy, baby?"_

It was terrible of him, but Blaine was tempted for a moment to sneak a glance at Kurt, to see the other boy's reaction. Wasn't this bothering _him_ at all? But Blaine found that he couldn't bring himself to voluntarily look at his ex for more than a second. It was still too painful…especially _right now_.

"_Yes, I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the gray_

_Ooh, the more I get of you_

_The stranger it feels, yeah_

_And now that your rose is in bloom_

_A light hits the gloom on the gray_

_Now that your rose is in bloom,_

_A light hits the gloom on the gray"_

Applause broke out as Jeff finished, whole-hearted and more enthusiastic this time, and a few people cat-called their appreciation. Jeff let go of Nick's hand before embracing him tightly. Blaine was sitting just close enough to hear what they were saying.

"I love you." Jeff murmured.

"I love you too." Nick said softly.

They broke apart and sat down again, their hands twining together.

"Nice job, Jeff." Wes said, looking genuinely pleased with the performance. "Voting will take place as soon as we're done with the rest of the solo auditions, which should be sometime later this week or early next week."

For the first time since he'd signed up, Blaine felt a twinge of nerves. Sure, he had the song memorized, and it sounded exactly how he wanted it to during practice. But he knew that he wouldn't be able to tear his eyes from Kurt the entire time, even if the other boy was looking away. Briefly, he wondered if he'd even be able to go through with it. Then he shook himself. Blaine knew that even if he started crying (which he was almost positive that he would) he'd power through it. Somehow he'd have to control his voice enough to at least sound decent. Besides, Wes and David had basically guaranteed him a solo if he auditioned, so he reasoned that it probably wasn't worth stressing about.

Blaine was dimly aware of Wes calling the meeting to a close, and he snatched up his bag, slinging it over one shoulder. He wasn't bothering to pay attention to where he was going, and ended up accidentally colliding with Jeff.

"Sorry." Jeff said, turning away from Nick to look at him, stepping aside to let him pass.

Blaine opened his mouth to give a similar apology, but found that the words wouldn't rise to his lips. Jealous hatred flooded through him once again, and his hazel eyes narrowed into a glare. Jeff calmly met his gaze, his eyes cool and a little challenging. Blaine felt his mouth curving into a small sneer. He knew that he would act on his emotions if he didn't get out of there fast. Still, it was hard to swallow back his hatred, and took a massive effort to walk away without doing or saying anything. Anger clouded his mind like a sudden fog, blotting out his other thoughts as he strode down the hall. Blaine took a deep breath, beating back his urge to turn around and pick a fight. He convinced himself (or tried to) that punching Jeff in the nose would _not_ accomplish anything, even if it would satiate his temper.

Blaine once again barricaded himself in his dorm, setting down his bag and picking up his guitar. As he sang through the bridge of the song, his fingers stilled on the strings, and a few tears slipped down his cheeks. He couldn't fathom that it _still_ hurt this much.

_This is a good thing_, he told himself. But even his thoughts sounded uncertain. He decided to ignore that. _You'll do the audition, vent your feelings a bit, and then you'll be over it_. This could be a good thing.

But his inner voice of reason wasn't going to let him off the hook that easy.

_You're a fool if you think that this audition is going to help. An absolute fool._

Blaine set his guitar aside and sighed, running a hand through his hair. He stared at the wall, wondering for the first time if it was really _Jeff_ that he was mad at…or himself?

* * *

><p><strong>So Kurt had fun and Blaine hates Jeff. Good to know. Kurt's still sad, and Blaine had fun too, by the way! <strong>

_**Pricetag**_** was the inspiration of Angela, while **_**Rhythm of Love**_** was my choice. We considered a LOT of songs for Wes before picking that one... I still say he should be belting out some Panic! At The Disco... ;)**

_**(Angela: Or Enrique. You wanted Enrique. I wanted Andy Grammer.)**_

**Because Kurt's my character (you know, I totally own that boy!), take some guesses at what Kurt's going to pick for his solo audition. I mean... there's millions of songs out there, so if anybody actually guesses it, I'll give you something awesome! *madly thinks of awesome virtual prize***

_**(Angela: Ooh! Guess for Blaine's too! And uh…I guess I'll give you a prize if you get it right too. I'm sure it'll be similar-ish to Sarah's. Maybe. We'll see. =D )**_

**Shutting up now! See you in Chapter Nine**

**Love Sarah (**_**foraworldundeserving**_**)**


	8. Confrontation

_**Holy sweet Grilled Cheesus, can you believe that it's already Chapter Eight?**_

_**We've had so much fun writing this, and I get so caught up in it every single time! I just know I'm going to be sad when it's over…anyway…**_

_**SquirrelzAttack here! And, surprisingly, none of you were able to guess Blaine's audition song! Well, I guess it's not surprising. There are thousands of songs. But still. =) I have been DYING to read/write this chapter since we planned it out! I'll tell you why in the AN at the bottom, so as not to give anything away. =)**_

_**I hope you enjoy reading this as much as we enjoyed writing it!**_

* * *

><p><strong>Kurt.<strong>

It had been a pretty good day, right up until Kurt Hummel entered the choir room for solo auditions.

Kurt had found what he thought was the trick to making things work. Treat every single day like it was normal, focus so hard on school, audition practice and his expansive collection of _Vogue _that nothing else could penetrate his brain, and not look at Blaine. The latter was always the hardest - especially when that little voice in his head kept piping up ('_Just talk to him! Tell him you're sorry and you miss him!_'). But overall, Kurt thought he was doing a pretty good job of continuing on with his life.

That was, until he walked through that door and saw Blaine standing out the front of the room, fiddling absently with his guitar.

Kurt cursed himself, even as he adopted a neutral expression and sat down on the nearest available couch. Of course Blaine would be auditioning for the solo - being signed was his dream and nothing would stop him from taking this opportunity. So why hadn't Kurt prepared himself for the eventuality of having to hear his ex boyfriend sing?

As the other Warblers entered the room, a few muffled groans could be heard. Clearly some of the boys had been hoping that Blaine wouldn't audition so they would have a chance of getting the solo slot. After all, everybody knew Blaine's track record with solos. If he auditioned, he got it.

The Council were the last to arrive and Kurt saw Wes shoot Blaine an almost relieved look as he entered the room. Before he could think in to it too much, Wes was banging his gavel and calling everyone to order. "Today's solo audition will be Blaine Anderson. This is the second-last audition as well." Kurt sat up a little straighter at that. _I'm going last?_

There was scattered applause as everybody's attention was drawn to Blaine. Kurt couldn't quite figure out where to look, so settled for watching Blaine's hands begin to strum lightly on the guitar. Even that was almost too painful, but Kurt forced himself to do it. After all, if Blaine did get the solo - which was just about inevitable - Kurt would have to put on a brave smile on stage and pretend nothing was wrong. So, what better time to start than now?

He had missed Blaine's announcement of his song choice - if he had said it at all - but the chords were sounding vaguely familiar. It was only when Blaine began to sing quietly that Kurt realized, and the breath was completely knocked out of his lungs.

"_Seems like just yesterday you were a part of me,_

_I used to stand so tall, I used to be so strong,_

_Your arms around me tight, everything felt so right,_

_Unbreakable, like nothing could go wrong."_

Already, other Warblers were glancing in his direction. It was completely obvious to everyone in the room that Blaine was singing about Kurt, and the nosy boys clearly wanted to see Kurt's reaction. Kurt immediately stared down at his hands, which were knotted in the strap of his bag, his knuckles turning white. _You're okay, you're fine_, he repeated to himself in his head.

"_Now I can't breathe, no, I can't sleep,_

_I'm barely hanging on."_

That was the problem with Blaine's performing - he was always so _passionate _when he sang. Of course Kurt had loved it during the times when Blaine had sung to him, or they had performed duets together, and Kurt could always tell that Blaine's emotions were running through the song.

But this time, it wasn't putting a smile on Kurt's face. And he couldn't bear to look up and see Blaine's expression. His emotions were always displayed on his face for the world to see, and Kurt knew that this would be no exception.

"_Here I am, once again, I'm torn into pieces,_

_Can't deny it, can't pretend, just thought you were the one,"_

_Oh... _

Kurt felt his heart shatter again. It was almost as if Blaine had pulled it out of his chest and stomped on the pieces over and over... except it wasn't Blaine, it was Kurt. Kurt was breaking his own heart. And the heart wrenchingly perfect words coming out of Blaine's mouth were just fueling the fire.

"_Broken up, deep inside,_

_But you won't get to see the tears I cry,_

_Behind these hazel eyes."_

Kurt had known it was coming, but at the last line of the chorus he couldn't help himself anymore. He lifted his head and stared straight into Blaine's eyes, which were looking right back at him, deliberately, for the first time in weeks. There was only a second of contact, but Kurt felt as if every single piece of hurt that Blaine had experienced at his hand was right there on display. He just didn't know what to do, what he could say. There was _nothing_ that would make this okay.

And then Blaine looked away, staring over Kurt's head as he continued to strum at his guitar. Kurt released the breath that he had been holding without realizing, shakily. He knew people were watching him, but he couldn't do anything right now but stare at Blaine.

"_I told you everything, opened up and let you in,_

_You made me feel alright for once in my life,"_

The first tear slipped down Kurt's cheek and he saw the flash of pain in Blaine's still-averted eyes that he recognized all too well from talking about their pasts. He remembered holding Blaine as he spoke quietly about the bullying at his old school, sharing themselves with each other. He remembered Blaine telling him that having someone in his life like Kurt was what he had needed.

_You saved me,_ Blaine had whispered to him quietly. And it was the same for Kurt. They had saved each other from their pasts, their memories, their feelings of never being enough, their fears of always being alone.

And now they were destroying each other.

"_Now all that's left of me is what I pretend to be, _

_So together, but so broken up inside,"_

Kurt saw Blaine swallow roughly and knew he was battling his own emotions. But Blaine was a performer, and Kurt knew he would fight until the end, no matter how much he was struggling.

"'_Cause I can't breathe, no, I can't sleep,_

_I'm barely hanging on,"_

In the small moment before the chorus, Kurt heard a sniff from the couch next to him. Somehow he managed to pull his eyes away from Blaine to see Cameron trying to discreetly wipe his eyes. Now that Kurt was aware of it, he noticed a few other Warblers looking teary; even Jeff was curled into Nick's side, his head lowered as Nick wrapped an arm around him. Glancing up towards the council table, Kurt saw Wes biting his lip and David staring determinedly at his notes in front of him, his eyes extra bright.

Of course it was painful. Watching any Warbler bare their soul in that way would sting. But _everybody_ loved Blaine, and seeing him struggling to keep it together because one of their _own _had hurt him... Kurt wasn't sure if he could possibly feel worse. He pressed his lips together to hold back a sob threatening to escape, his gaze returning to Blaine magnetically.

"_Here I am, once again, I'm torn into pieces,_

_Can't deny it, can't pretend, just thought you were the one,_

_Broken up, deep inside,_

_But you won't get to see the tears I cry,_

_Behind these hazel eyes."_

Kurt knew what was coming next, but seeing Blaine transform, watching the anger take over his face, it was almost too much. He wanted to run, to get out of the room... but knew he had to stay. _This is my punishment. _

"_Swallow me then spit me out,_

_For hating you, I blame myself,"_

Blaine almost _growled _the words out, his eyes glaring daggers straight at Kurt. He had never seen those breathtaking eyes so full of rage. But even now, Kurt couldn't be afraid. Blaine had never scared him, and not even this anger, so justified, could do so. Because he knew exactly where it came from.

"_Seeing you, it kills me now,_

_No, I don't cry on the outside anymore!"_

As Blaine held the last word, high, powerful, righteous, and a little sad at the same time, Kurt saw the anger fade from his face to be replaced with a heartbreaking defeat, so sudden that Kurt gasped out loud. They locked gazes again, and Kurt felt an immeasurable feeling of distress and pain, so potent that it was almost as if Blaine's gaze was channeling his emotions. The look in his eyes was so exposed and raw...

"_Anymore.."_

And as Blaine whispered the word, Kurt saw his face break, droplets of water spilling from his eyes. His own tears were blinding his vision as he stared down at his hands, simply unable to look at the boy standing in front of him anymore. Blaine's voice was only just holding together as he sang the final chorus. He paused to take a quick but deep breath, his fingers strumming the strings even harder, his voice gaining in volume. It was completely unfair that he still sounded perfect, Kurt thought.

"_Here I am, once again, I'm torn into pieces_

_Can't deny it, can't pretend, just thought you were the one_

_Broken up, deep inside_

_But you won't get to see the tears I cry,_

_Behind these hazel eyes."_

There was a moment of absolute silence, then the hurried sound of a guitar being set down, footsteps moving quickly out of the room, and something that sounded an awful lot like a horribly strangled sob.

After a moment, the Warblers broke into muttered conversations that Kurt only half-heard. "... someone go after him?" "... did well, but..." "...was he...?"

"Kurt?"

Kurt swallowed roughly and nodded in recognition, refusing to look up. There was a sigh, then Nick sat down next to him. "Come on, talk to me. You alright?"

"Fine," Kurt muttered thickly, trying to stop crying. It wasn't working.

Nick sighed again, and then there was an arm around him, tugging him in. Kurt fought for a moment before giving up, collapsing against Nick's shoulder. "It hurts, Nick," he whispered brokenly.

"I know, I know," Nick murmured soothingly. "But you'll be okay. You're both hurting right now, but you'll get through this."

And for once, Kurt realized, it wasn't someone telling him that things would be okay once he and Blaine got back together. It was someone saying that he could be okay without Blaine. And oddly enough, that was what Kurt needed to hear, despite not being able to believe it yet. He had lost so much of his independence throughout all of this that it was nice to know that someone still believed in him as an individual.

Kurt was vaguely aware of the other Warblers leaving the room until just Nick and Jeff remained with him. Jeff slid onto his other side, taking his hand. "Kurt, I know you've been asked this a lot, but all of us just saw Blaine lose it in the middle of an audition - and you know that's rare - singing a song that was clearly about you. You're sitting here crying, as a result of that. Why don't you just _talk _to him?"

Kurt sniffed and looked up, wiping his eyes hastily as he turned to face Jeff. "Because you saw what happened there. If I tried to talk to him, I'd just end up like this. And he doesn't want to talk to me anyway -"

"_Kurt_." Nick's voice was exasperated. "Yes, he does."

Kurt shook his head stubbornly. "He avoids me at all costs, he acts like I don't exist. Explain how that constitutes wanting to talk to me."

"Maybe he's in the same boat as you. Maybe he wants to talk but doesn't think he can either."

Kurt opened his mouth to retort, then paused. What Nick had said was most likely true after all... but Kurt didn't want to deal with it right now. All he wanted was to go back to his room and cry. "I - I know you're right," he admitted quietly, wincing as his voice broke, "but we've got enough to deal with right now. The performance is in five days, I have a solo to audition for and... I just -"

This time, Jeff was the one to sigh. "We understand." Nick looked at him sharply but Jeff just shook his head. Kurt felt a pang of jealousy at how easily they communicated without words. _That used to be me and Blaine. _"Just... just don't keep things bottled up anymore. We're all here for you."

Kurt gave a non-committal shrug, pulling his hand out of Jeff's and standing. "See you guys later," he muttered, walking quickly out of the room.

Just as he was about to head down to his room, Kurt paused as he heard Jeff's voice. "Nick, they're killing themselves."

"I know, but we can't do anything else, baby. This is their battle. I just hope they both do the right thing before it's too late... and as selfish as it is, at least we've learned never to do anything like that."

After a moment of silence - which Kurt didn't want to think into - a shuffling sound was heard and Kurt knew the two boys were standing. Quickly making his way down the hall, he escaped into his room which, was thankfully empty. Kurt immediately resumed his usual position - curled up in a ball on his bed, headphones in, trying not to cry.

_Will this ever get any easier? _he wondered as _Because of You_ began to play, echoing his thoughts perfectly. But he already knew the answer - not for a long _long_ time.

* * *

><p><strong>Blaine.<strong>

Blaine sat up, wiping at his eyes. His incessant sobs had faded into dry gasps, and he figured it was high time to get a grip on himself. Sighing, he dropped his head into his hands, wondering if maybe he'd feel better if he _talked_ about it. Not with Kurt, he'd end up a blubbering mess again. But maybe with someone else.

Standing, he walked out into the hall, vaguely wondering where he could find David. Normally on advice he would've turned to Wes, but David was the more level-headed of the two, and Blaine thought that David's calm manner was more of what he needed right now.

Rounding a corner, Blaine looked up, only to stop short. _How_ _could they!_

Right smack in the center of the hall was Nick and Jeff, obviously in the middle of a heavy, intense make out session. Jeff had Nick pressed against the wall, and one of his hands was resting at his boyfriend's hip, the other fisted in his hair. Jeff's blazer was lying on the floor next to them in a rumpled heap, obviously long forgotten about. The edge of Blaine's vision turned red, and an unexplainable rage coursed through his system, rejuvenating his previously fatigued body. He was already feeling emotionally unstable and drained, and seeing Nick and Jeff just about threw him over the edge.

Normally Blaine would've let them be. He would pretend like he'd seen nothing and walk away. But, as one of them (Nick, he thought) let out a heated groan, he felt his anger all rush out in one tumultuous surge.

"HEY!" he called, glaring as he moved forward, feeling his mouth curve downward into a sneer.

They broke apart at once, and Blaine tried (and failed) not to notice Jeff hurriedly straightening his loosened tie. Nick was rubbing the back of his neck in discomfort, biting his already bruised bottom lip. The two looked thoroughly made out with, and for some reason it was seriously ticking Blaine off.

"What do you two think you're _doing_?" He demanded angrily, glaring furiously at the pair of them.

"I think it's pretty obvious what we were _doing_, Blaine." Jeff said coolly, smirking. Behind him, Nick flushed dark red, looking pleased and embarrassed at the same time. "We'll just be going now, if you don't mind." He reached out and took his boyfriend's hand, smiling over at the shorter boy.

"I _do_ mind, actually." Blaine bit out through gritted teeth. "I mind a lot."

"You shouldn't." Jeff's eyes narrowed. "It's really none of your business."

"On the contrary, I think it is."

"You're wrong." Jeff was doing a good job of keeping his voice light. "So back off."

"Don't tell me to 'back off.' You can't keep doing this, Jeff." Blaine took an aggressive step forward, cursing the fact that Jeff was several inches taller than he was.

"And what am I doing exactly?" Now Jeff merely looked bored, crossing his arms and staring the shorter boy down. "Please enlighten me. I'm curious."

"Maybe you should clue Nick in about _Kurt_." Blaine managed to grind out. "I'm sure he'd like to know."

Jeff raised an eyebrow, giving him a look. He sighed, running a hand through his already tousled hair. "Look, Blaine, if this is about the audition with Kurt, I can fully assure you that it meant absolutely _nothing_."

"It didn't _look_ like nothing."

Now Jeff looked simply exasperated. "You're a performer. You should know acting when you see it. I know you're mad, but listen to what I'm trying to tell you: I have no feelings for Kurt."

"Then why would you agree to sing a freaking _love song_ with him?" Blaine's voice rose, echoing slightly in the high ceilings. "Why didn't you sing with _Nick_, your _boyfriend_?"

At this, the blonde boy paused. He was silent for a few moments as indecision flickered in his eyes, as if he was struggling with a raging internal battle. Nick stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder, his blue eyes glaring straight at Blaine. The look left Blaine feeling a tiny bit guilty, but he pushed the feeling away.

"Just tell him." Nick said quietly, taking his hand once more.

Looking reassured, Jeff looked Blaine straight in the eyes and said, "I didn't audition with Nick because Kurt asked me to audition with him instead. And…" he hesitated once more.

"And _what_, Jeff?" Blaine asked, incensed. "You could've said _no_."

Jeff closed his eyes, sighing. "I know. I could've. _Should've_, probably, based on how well that little train wreck went over. I only agreed because – "

"Because you have commitment issues?" Blaine suggested, his voice tinged with bitterness.

"Will you _let me finish_ already?" The two glared at each other for a tense moment before Jeff said, "I don't appreciate your accusations against me, Blaine. I would never cheat on Nick."

"That's not the way it looks from here." Blaine said, lifting his chin defiantly.

"That's because you are ridiculously _blind_!" Jeff shot back, rolling his eyes. "You're being incredibly stupid for a supposed smart guy."

"I'm not _stupid_!"

"_Yes you are_! You haven't accepted the problem, and now you're taking it out on _me_! Face it Blaine: _I'm_ not the issue here. _Kurt _is."

"Shut up!"

"The audition didn't mean anything! You _know_ that, even if you're not admitting it!"

"I don't know anything!" Blaine realized a second too late how childish those words sounded.

"_Obviously_ you don't know anything, otherwise you wouldn't be standing here arguing with me! If you had _two ounces_ of common sense, you'd be trying to patch things up with Kurt right now!"

Oh, man. Jeff was seriously starting to push his buttons. And he was _not_ okay with that.

"This isn't about Kurt – "

"Yes, it is. You're a jealous wreck, and you're channeling your petty anger directly at _me_!"

"Shut UP!"

Before he could fully process what he was doing, Blaine had shoved the taller boy with all of his strength, sending him stumbling. A second later, Blaine felt a pair of hands collide with his chest, and he staggered back, winded. When he regained his balance, he saw Nick standing in between him and Jeff, his expression dangerous.

"Paws off, Anderson." Nick said coldly, folding his arms in a defensive bearing. "He's mine."

Blaine's mouth dropped open. He'd never seen Nick wrathful before. It was…slightly intimidating.

Jeff took Nick's arm. "It's okay, babe. Maybe he'll listen now."

The blonde gave Blaine a look. Blaine remained determinedly silent.

"No comment from the peanut gallery?" Jeff asked almost mockingly. "Good. Let me cut straight to the chase: The duet was Kurt's idea."

"Wait…" Blaine's brow furrowed as he tried to process this information. It didn't quite click. "What? Why?"

Jeff sighed. "He only asked because he wanted to make you jealous. As you can probably tell, it worked. I only agreed because I was hoping the jealousy would jumpstart you into making things up with Kurt. That failed too. All the audition did was make things marginally worse."

"Yeah, it did." Blaine dully agreed, deflating somewhat.

Jeff stood a little straighter, squaring his shoulders. "Well, all I can say is that I did my best to help you knuckleheads see the light. If it didn't work, fine. At least I gave it my best shot. You two have to work it out on your own time."

He bent over to scoop up his blazer and slid it on, turning back to Blaine with an almost disappointed look on his face. "Just keep in mind the fact that he wants to make up. The only thing stopping you is your damn pride. Maybe it's time to drop the act and get yourselves together."

Turning back to Nick, Jeff said, "My dorm? Wes is out."

"Of course." Nick smiled, and they set off down the hall together, talking with serious faces and hushed voices.

A lump formed in Blaine's throat as he watched the two boys disappear around a corner. He sighed, running a hand through his unruly hair. Jeff was right. Blaine knew he was right. He wasn't mad at Jeff, and he had let himself be tricked into a pit of jealousy. Even as he thought that, he felt another rush of jealousy, but it was jealousy for the easy relationship that Nick and Jeff had. Seeing them in the hall had reminded Blaine of what he had lost. It was another painful reminder of his mistakes.

His hands trembling, his breath slightly uneven, Blaine unsteadily made his way towards the library. He hoped that Wes and David were easy to find, because now he _really_ needed someone to talk to.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay, so I have to be completely honest with you. I am a Kelly Clarkson nerd. I am a Kelly Clarkson geek. I am a Kelly Clarkson FANGIRL. Her voice is powerful and amazing and she has a song to fit pretty much every mood. Make ups, breakups, revenge, guilt, happy…Basically everything. I've seen her in concert, and she's even better live.<strong>_

_**But! I suggested the song Because of You to Sarah, and then something went wrong in the translation from American to Australian and she wrote it with Behind These Hazel Eyes. She was feeling the pressure on this one because I was raring to write the audition myself, and BTHE (and BOY) is a song that I've belted out at the top of my lungs more times than I can take the time to count. But, as usual, she pulled it off flawlessly and I loved it. =) Plus, I got to write Nick and Jeff being freaky, wanky boys so I was cool with it. ;)**_

**(Sarah: I honestly cannot tell you where BTHE came from. I guess because Darren has those gorgeous eyes... anyway, I'm just glad I didn't get a 'no, go change the song' from Angela! And I'm not as much of a fangirl, but I've certainly got my appreciation for Kelly Clarkson too (: )**

_**Anyway, I am extremely pleased with the way this chapter turned out, and I look forward to writing more! =D**_

_**~SquirrelzAttack**_


	9. Remorse

**Welcome to Chapter Nine :)**

**This is a very very significant chapter for me and Angela. You know why? Because this is the very first chapter of **_**Edge of Glory **_**that we ever wrote! Yes, we have a pretty bad way of writing chapters, but this was one of the first ideas that came to our heads. This was before we even knew what they were fighting about and we had both heard songs on the radio/knew songs that we just **_**had **_**to use. **

**By the way, anybody who reads Angela's **_**The Warbler Drabbles**_**, she's started posting again! Which I'm thrilled about because I love her work and love editing it (not that I edit much these days, she writes too well!). So if you're a fan of that story and haven't seen a new chapter in awhile, I know there's at least two recent ones now :) and for anybody on my (Sarah's) page who hasn't seen it before, please do go read it. It's my top rec. She's inspired my love of Nick/Jeff and writing Cameron as a tool =D**

**Well, enough out of me, of course. We're far too excited about posting this one! =D**

* * *

><p><strong>Kurt. <strong>

Kurt rested against the wall of the choir room, taking deep breaths. In a matter of seconds,

the council would be calling him in to perform his solo audition. But that wasn't what was bothering him. The audition itself was going to be fine, but solo auditions weren't a private thing and any Warbler who wanted to attend was allowed to…which meant Blaine could be there.

Kurt winced as the familiar pain racked through his chest when he thought of his ex-boyfriend - and _god_, that hurt even more, those two simple letters in front of the word. He didn't know whether he wanted Blaine to be there or not. If he wasn't there, it was obvious he didn't care about him anymore and Kurt was right in his song choice. But if he was, Kurt didn't think he could focus on the song.

It had been a couple of weeks now but Kurt still thought about Blaine every single day. And the more he thought, the more he realized how incredibly stupid their fight had been. It was never about Blaine not having time for him or being selfish, it was all about the stress they both had being taken out on each other. It wasn't fair to Kurt, and it wasn't fair to Blaine either, and every day Kurt continued to be stubborn was a knife in the back to him. But Kurt was aware that he was the one sticking it there.

_Honestly, you could just tell him_. Kurt dismissed the thought immediately, as he had every other time it had occurred to him. It had gone beyond the fight itself and the stupid words they'd said out of anger. Beyond a matter of principle, beyond simple stubbornness. No, now it was the simple fact that Kurt had screwed up, big time, and he didn't actually _deserve _Blaine's understanding or forgiveness.

He didn't deserve Blaine.

"Warbler Kurt?"

Kurt straightened his shoulders, took one more breath, plastered a smile on his face and walked in. He couldn't stop himself from scanning the room to see who had turned out and quickly realized - everybody but Blaine. _Get over it, _he told himself firmly. _It's easier this way. _

"I'm going to be singing _When It's Over_, and any backing would be appreciated." Kurt put on his best brave face, knowing he'd have to split his attention between the music and keeping the facade up. But he was good at pretending - after all, McKinley had given him a lot of time to practice.

"Alright, go for it." Wes gestured him to the center of the room and Kurt took his place, beginning to sing.

"_When it's over, that's the time I fall in love again,_

_And when it's over, that's the time you're in my heart again."_

The Warblers chimed in with the backing vocals, right on cue. _"And when you go,"_

"_Go, go, go" _Kurt continued,

"_I know, it never ends,_

_It never ends."_

Kurt could already feel the tears trying to build in his eyes. He drew up every reserve of courage - and even _that _reminded him of Blaine - and fought on. He was going to do this audition if it _killed _him_. _After all, Blaine had managed to do the same with his audition, Kurt was going to see his through to the end as well.

"_All the things that I used to say, all the words that got in the way_

_All the things that I used to know have gone out the window,_

_All the things that he used to bring, all the songs he used to sing,_

_All the favorite TV shows have gone out the window."_

The gaze of David was piercing into Kurt's skin but he fought on, even as the words brought back memories - Blaine's favorite songs; the songs he'd sing quietly to Kurt when they were alone, or the ones he'd shamelessly belt out in the shower. His TV shows; the ones Kurt would cringe at and others that he couldn't help but find himself addicted to. Not that he'd watch them _now_ anyway, not without Blaine...

_Pull it together, Kurt!_

"_I'm missing you, I never knew how much he loved me,_

_I'm missing you, I never knew how much you meant to me,"_

And now his voice was starting to go thick with emotion and Kurt swallowed hastily. He knew his facade was pointless - all of the Warblers _knew _what was going on with him and Blaine, but Kurt's pride was on the line and he needed something to cling to. After all, he'd lost everything else when he lost Blaine.

"_I need you, and when you go, go, go_

_I know, it never ends, never ends,"_

Kurt sped through the second chorus, knowing he needed to get out of there. But the performer in him continued on and he found himself singing the bridge, despite his earlier intentions not to.

"_I'm wishing you, you never said you were pretending,_

_I'm wishing you, you feel the same and just come back to me,_

_I need you,"_

The first tear slipped down his cheek and Kurt wiped it away hastily. He didn't want to show weakness in front of the other Warblers after everything he had gone through. Kurt wasn't at all comfortable with showing his private emotions to others. The Warblers had already been a massive part of his and Blaine's break up, and he just wanted them out of it.

"_And when you go, go, go, go, I know_

_It never ends, it never ends,_

_When it's over, can I still come over?_

_And when it's over, is it really over?_

_When it's over, that's the time I fall in love again,"_

But Kurt knew he would never love anybody like he loved Blaine. _Never._

"_All the things that I used to say, all the words that got in the way,_

_All the things that I used to know have gone out the window,_

_All the things he used to bring, all the songs he used to sing,_

_All the favorite TV shows have gone out the window."_

Kurt didn't stick around to hear how his performance went, or if he got the solo. The second the final Warbler vocals had finished echoing around the room, he was out the door, his head down.

Striding down the hallway, Kurt heard David's voice calling after him. "Kurt, hey, wait!"

Wiping his face quickly, Kurt composed himself the best he could and turned. "Yes, David?" He knew there was no hiding the fact that he had been crying, but the quicker he dealt with David, the quicker he could go to his room and break down in peace.

"Kurt, you need to stop. You're tearing yourself apart."

David's voice was compassionate, but Kurt didn't want to hear it. "I think I'm capable of auditioning for solos, thank you David. I know my voice isn't exactly the same as everybody else's but I'm not going to destroy it by -"

"That's not what I meant, and you know it." David crossed his arms. "Kurt, you can fix this if you just _talk _to him. You're hurting, he's hurting, but _you_ can make it stop. I don't understand why you haven't yet, when you're so obviously miserable."

Kurt stayed silent, staring at the wall above David's shoulder, refusing to give him the satisfaction of an answer.

"Look, we've done everything we can. Everyone in there," David gestured back to the choir room, "has tried _everything _to get you two to see reason. We didn't have to, you know, but we wanted to because we care about you both. But we can't do anything else. Kurt, you _love_ him. And he loves you too, despite how stubborn he's being right now, you _know _that. So please, for the sake of everyone but mainly for the sake of yourselves, _talk to him._" David gave him one last look that seemed to penetrate straight into Kurt's soul, before turning and walking away. Kurt waited until he was gone before walking briskly to his room, knowing that David wasn't going to be coming in for quite some time.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Kurt sank to the floor and burst into tears.

* * *

><p><strong>Blaine.<strong>

It was a couple of weeks after Kurt and Blaine's heated argument and breakup. And Blaine was completely miserable.

He hadn't said a word to anyone at all that fateful night, including his roommate Thad, who had tried and failed to get him to 'vent his feelings' or some crap like that. That night, he'd been ticked off more than anything. But who was he really mad at? He'd thought that he was mad at Kurt for being so selfish. Then he'd thought that he was pissed at Jeff. Now, however, he realized that his anger with both of them had been falsified, triggered by the stress of extra Warblers practice on top of end-of-semester exams, and then by the audition. Blaine realized that now the person he was really mad at was _himself_.

The dreary day seemed to reflect Blaine's anguish and regret. Dark gray storm clouds covered blue skies, and rain pounded on the windows of Dalton with extra force, sheet after sheet of falling water. Blaine stepped outside, his blazer left on his bed. He flinched as the first cold drops of rain hit him, but the shock seemed irrelevant. Ever since he and Kurt had broken up, his senses had been dulled. Food hadn't been nearly as appetizing, the sun hadn't been as warm, Disney movies hadn't given him the same sensation of warm fuzzies. Raising his face to the weeping gray sky, Blaine let out the tears he'd been repressing for the better part of three weeks. He felt like someone had torn a hole through the middle of his chest. He could _feel_ the spot where Kurt was missing, and the pain hit him like a bullet, so powerful that he almost stumbled over nothing.

Being away from Kurt hurt him like a physical wound. Iron bands constricted his chest, making his breath short. This sucked. It sucked on _so_ many levels. And the worst part?

It was Blaine's fault.

He knew it was his fault. He should've known better than to pick a fight like an idiot - maybe he hadn't been the one to start it all but he certainly hadn't stopped it or tried to calm Kurt down. He knew his boyfriend was volatile when provoked, and yet he did nothing. The realization that he'd inflicted this onto himself made it ten times worse. This could've been prevented.

A lump formed in Blaine's throat, and his eyes stung. He shook himself, scattering glistening droplets, still aimlessly walking around the Dalton campus. Kurt was auditioning for a solo, somewhere inside the walls. Blaine had meant to be there. Truly, he had. But he hadn't been able to even show up. He couldn't hear Kurt's voice right now, it would crack all resolve he'd been slowly trying building up. It would hurt worse than if Kurt were to punch him in the gut.

Then, like a true Warbler, he opened his mouth and started a song. His voice was cracking on every other note, but the sound of it was lost in the pattering of raindrops, and for once Blaine didn't care what his voice sounded like.

"_I woke up today, woke up right awake_

_In an empty bed, staring at an empty room_

_I have myself to blame for the state I'm in today_

_And now dying doesn't seem so cruel_

_And oh, I don't know what to say_

_And I don't know anyway, anymore"_

Tears were falling thick and fast onto his cheeks now, but it was raining so hard that it barely mattered. The rain washed away all of the hot, salty liquid and no observer would've known he was dying inside. Blaine had to stop singing and take several deep breaths before he could continue. He wasn't even sure why he wanted to put himself through this torture. Music was just ingrained into his soul; it was his comfort, his therapy, and his escape. In this case, it was an expression of his grief.

"_I hate myself for losing you_

_I'm seeing it all so clear_

_I hate myself for losing you_

_What do you do when you look in the mirror_

_And staring at you is why he's not here?"_

Blaine stopped to take a few deep lungfuls of air again, gritting his teeth. The lyrics were describing his emotional turmoil perfectly. For the next part, he modified the words slightly, knowing that the weight of their breakup rested solely on his shoulders, and wanting to punish himself fully for it. The guilt was almost too much to take.

"_I got what I deserved_

_Hope you're happy now_

'_Cause every time I think of life without you_

_It's killing me inside and_

_Now I dread each day, knowing that I can't be saved_

_From the loneliness of living without you"_

A fork of bright, reddish lightning split the sky, and thunder rumbled, reverberating through the air. Rain dripped down Blaine's face, dropping from his drenched hair and into his eyes. By this time, he was completely soaked. He should've been cold and ready to go back inside, but the coolness of the water soothed him slightly. At the same time, the ever-growing loneliness of being without Kurt sliced through him deeper than any dagger could have.

"_And oh, I don't know what to do_

_Not sure that I'll pull through_

_And oh, I don't know what to say_

_And I don't know anyway_

_Anymore, more!"_

How true, Blaine thought miserably. At this point, he wasn't even sure if he could ever face talking to Kurt ever again. He was almost too ashamed _look_ at the boy, much less hold a _conversation_ with him.

"_I hate myself for losing you_

_I'm seeing it all so clear_

_I hate myself for losing you_

_What do you do when you look in the mirror_

_And staring at you is why he's not here?"_

Blaine squeezed his eyes shut and stopped walking, standing stock-still. He let the rain beat down on him, further drenching his white dress shirt. It was uncharacteristic of him to feel pity for himself, but right now he was finding it difficult to repress thoughts such as, '_My life completely sucks_.'

"_What do you say when everything you said_

_Is the reason why he left you in the end?_

_How do you cry when every tear you shed_

_Won't ever bring him back again?_

_I hate myself for losing you."_

With the final, wavering note, Blaine collapsed onto the ground, his back pressed to the side of the foreign language wing, his shoulders quaking. He hid his face in his hands, gasping for breath, fighting to keep control. He was thankful that nobody else was out in weather like this. It would've been beyond embarrassing if Wes or David or Thad found him this cut up. Plus, he really didn't feel like being comforted right now. He liked to deal with stress and pain alone.

After a few minutes – or was it several hours? Blaine had lost all perception of time out in the rain – he rose, wiping his eyes, and made his way back to the dorms, feeling like he may as well feel sorry for himself somewhere he couldn't catch a cold. He walked quickly back into the building, completely disregarding the fact that he was trekking water onto the carpet and into the hall.

When he arrived back at his dorm, there was a trail of wet footprints leading the way he'd been, but at least his hair was starting to dry a little. Knowing he'd have to face at least a partial interrogation, Blaine sighed in resignation and pushed the door open, stepping inside with a slight squelching sound. Thad looked up from studying some sheet music, surprise showing in his deep brown eyes.

"Blaine, where were you?" he asked, worry lacing his tone.

"Out." Blaine replied shortly, closing the door behind him. He unbuttoned his shirt and threw it off to the side, opening a drawer of his bureau to look for another top.

"Obviously." Thad said sarcastically. "Blaine, you can't keep going on like this. Just go up to the guy and grovel for forgiveness."

Blaine didn't respond, simply pulling his shirt over his head and digging deeper into the drawer for some pajama pants. After a few minutes of painful silence, Thad sighed.

"Closing off to me or anyone else isn't going to do _anyone_ any favors." Thad said knowingly. "The longer you wait, the longer it hurts you. _Both_ of you. And I know that you're hurting right now."

"I have no idea what you mean." Blaine said coldly, stiffly standing and going over to his bed, picking up his phone and pretending to text someone. In actuality, the screen was blank. 0 new messages.

"That's complete crap." Thad said calmly, sitting up and turning to face his roommate. "We both know that's crap. I know you too well to believe any lies you tell me, okay Blaine? Look," he folded his hands in his lap, fixing Blaine with a stern gaze, "Every single Warbler has tried and failed to get you two idiots back together. We've tried everything. But in the end, it's up to _you_ to go and talk to Kurt. You can't just go back into your shell because it's easier than facing the music. It's been way too long and _you know it_."

"I talked to Wes and David." Blaine said defensively.

Thad rolled his eyes. "The way they told it, you sobbed on David's shoulder for ten minutes, and when they tried to talk to you, you ran away. Just like you always seem to do. I don't classify that as 'opening up' in any way, shape, or form. And honestly Blaine, it's about freaking time you actually put some effort into _mending_ this thing."

He stood and walked over to the door, placing one hand on the knob. "You're going to give in eventually. And when you feel like talking, I'm right here. And so is he. Just think about it."

And with that, Thad opened the door and disappeared into the hall.

* * *

><p><em><strong>(Angela: Told you I was a Kelly Clarkson nerd…)<strong>_

**So... they're still miserable, and have both pretty much given up. And for everybody who gets annoyed at Kurt and Blaine for taking so long and being so oblivious... don't worry, it annoys us too! They're just a pair of stubborn boys. **

_**(Angela: Yeah, it's not OUR fault that they're too stubborn to talk to each other! *cough*)**_

**So, nobody guessed Kurt's solo song either. This came on the radio literally the day after I asked Angela whether she wanted to do a collab, and I'm sitting there going, 'that's so Kurt.' At least, the lyrics are. **

**That's it for auditions! Guess what comes next? ;)**

**See you soon!**

**Love Sarah (**_**foraworldundeserving**_**)**


	10. Surprises

_**Hello once more again audience! Chapter Ten is upon us! =D**_

_**SquirrelzAttack here, and can I just say that me and Sarah tweeted up a storm as we were typing this? I'm shocked I managed to even finish it with her incessant tweeting. ;) In case you didn't already know, Sarah and I both have Twitter accounts now – SquirrelzAttack and SarahFAWU. Tweet us! If you send us a tweet, we'll tweet you back! We had a very long conversation with someone today, and it was lovely. =) Plus, we mi-i-ight have been talking about this story earlier today, so…*cough***_

**(Sarah: What Angela neglects to mention is that she tweet-spammed ME the whole time. And talked way too much about this story. And might have given stuff away)**

_**Thank you once more to all of our wonderful reviewers. =) You're all awesome, and I love you all. Even the critics. Especially the critics. *shifty eyes***_

_**Anyway, we're getting awfully close to the ending now! The climax is fast approaching! The plot is winding down! I CAN'T WAIT TO WRITE IT! =D**_

_***cough***_

_**Enjoy this chapter! ;)**_

* * *

><p><strong>Blaine.<strong>

"This Warblers meeting has officially been called to order." Wes said, banging his gavel. He straightened the papers in front of him, and Blaine though he detected a streak of excitement on his friend's face. "Now, Warblers, as you all know, we will be performing our hearts out this coming Monday – just a few short days away, and I'm sure you're all anxious to hear who will be receiving a solo."

And just like that, the room went deadly quiet. Blaine stopped slumping and sat up straight, alert and waiting. His breath caught a little. Even if he was completely miserable in his personal life, he knew that this solo was more important to him than any solo ever before, and –

"Blaine Anderson."

There were a few groans of disappointment, and honestly, Blaine couldn't blame them. But he didn't have time to feel guilty, because he was completely elated. A thrill of pure excitement rushed through him, and he felt drunk on his own exhilaration, as light as air –

"And, Jeff Sterling."

Wait a second. _What_?

Blaine felt all of his happiness melt like morning dew under a hot sun. This had to be a joke. A _big_ joke. _Jeff_ had gotten a solo? _Jeff_? He turned to stare unflatteringly at the blonde, who looked like he couldn't believe he'd gotten the solo. _Don't worry, I can't believe it either_, Blaine thought critically, frowning deeply.

"Seventh time's a charm?" Nick asked teasingly, nudging his shoulder against his boyfriend's.

"I guess so." Jeff looked like his wildest dreams had come true. "Man, that's just…_awesome_!"

Distastefully, Blaine turned to look back at Wes, who was talking quietly with David. What infuriated him further was that the announcement of Jeff's solo had been given a much better reception than his own. No one had cheered when Blaine's solo was announced. But _the whole club_ had cheered when _Jeff's_ solo was announced. Blaine sighed. He understood where the other Warblers were coming from on that one, but it still really stung.

As Wes got everyone's attention and began to talk again, Blaine came to a conclusion. He had to make this his best performance yet. He would really have to wrack his brains to find just the right song. It had to be _perfect_, that much he was determined of. Or, well, it had to be better than _Jeff's_.

"…and get back to us with your song choice by tomorrow at the latest. We know it's short notice, but we need to work out harmonies and backing and things like that."

"What about the duet?" Cameron called.

Wes hesitated for a split second. "We'll be announcing those results privately."

"Why?"

"Because I'm Head Warbler, and I said so." Wes fixed Cameron with his best death glare, and the younger Warbler fell begrudgingly silent. Wes turned back to the room at large. "Any other questions?"

There was a pause. "Meeting adjourned."

Mindlessly, Blaine picked up his bag and strolled out, furiously going over song choices in his head. He knew he'd think of the right one eventually, but he was waiting to have an, "AHA! PERFECT!" moment. But what should he do? A ballad, a rock anthem, a pop number?

What he needed, Blaine decided, was to find a song that was deeply emotional. He needed something that really _described_ him right now. A song that was powerful enough to make the audience feel all of the pain and emotions and turmoil that the performer was singing about. But where would he find a song to fit such a tall order?

Before Blaine could continue his contemplating, footsteps rang out behind him, and a voice called his name. "Hey, Blaine! Wait up!"

Turning, Blaine had to repress a sigh. Wes and David were hurrying towards him, their faces expressionlessly serious. He loved them, but lately all they'd done was push and lecture him about his life and his decisions, and he wasn't eager for a repeat. Still, he forced a smile as they approached.

"Hey guys. What's up?" he asked, hoping that he came across as normal.

"We've got big news!" David said, smiling. He reached into his bag and pulled out some sheet music, handing it over to Blaine. "You'll be dueting at our performance next week."

"I'll be – what?" _That_ caught him off guard. Open-mouthed, Blaine looked from Wes to David to the sheet music and back again. "I – I'm not sure I understand." He said slowly.

"What don't you understand about it?" David asked teasingly. "It's sheet music. You learn your part and then sing it. Really Blaine, I thought you knew that by now."

"That's not it." Blaine said, frowning. "I didn't audition for a duet, guys. I think you're mistaken."

"We're not mistaken." Wes said, raising an eyebrow. "What, don't you want a chance in the spotlight?"

"That's not what I'm trying to say here!" Blaine objected. "The rules say that you can't give me something that I haven't auditioned for. And Wes, you're a _stickler_ for the rules. You live and breathe the rules. _And_ you two are the ones that told me to audition for a solo because you 'couldn't give me one unless I auditioned.' So what are you on about _now_?"

"Look, Blaine," Wes said, dropping all pretenses, "let's face the facts here. You're the most likely out of _all of us_ to get signed for that EP, and you want it the most anyway. We want to give you every chance possible in the spotlight to show off your versatility, passion, and talent."

"Well, thank you, Wes, but – "

"Just do it." Wes cut across him firmly. "Don't _question _it. Just _do_ it. It's a shot at your dreams, isn't it?"

Blaine opened his mouth, trying hard to find a decent argument. But he was stuck. Wes was pretty darn smart, and he knew exactly which of Blaine's buttons to push. He looked down at the sheet music as a way of putting off a response. Nonchalant, his eyes roved over the title. And then he read the chorus, and a lump formed in his throat.

"Guys, I – I can't perform this song."

"What?" David looked at him like he had just said, _I hate Katy Perry_.

"You heard me." Blaine swallowed thickly. "I just can't. I'd be a mess."

"You won't be a mess." Wes assured him, reaching out and grasping his shoulder. "You'll do great. The song is _perfect_ for you."

"That's the problem with it." Blaine started mentally praying that he wouldn't start bawling in front of the two of them. "I just…there must be something else you can pick. Or I can pick it. Or _anyone_. Please."

"Blaine, we sweated bullets over this song choice." David berated, his words tinged with irritation. "Do it for us. We think it's perfect. As a favor?"

Blaine considered them for a moment, his thoughts churning rapidly. He glanced down. And then, like a ray of light striking through a window, something clicked.

"Fine." He said. "I'll do it. But you guys owe me."

"Yeah, we do." David agreed.

"I'm calling that debt in right now." Blaine continued, confident in his decision.

"Name it." David offered, shrugging.

Blaine took a breath. "I want you to let me write my own song for the performance, which I will then perform as my solo."

"Done." David said, earning him an elbow to the ribs compliments of Wes.

"_David_!" Wes looked almost scandalized. "That's completely insane! We asked for the song choices to be ready by _tomorrow_."

"Don't worry." Blaine said before David could rebuttal. "It will be. And if it's not, _you_ can pick my song for me."

Wes hesitated. Then – "Yeah. Yeah, okay. We can do that."

David rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Wes. You're so confusing sometimes." Shaking his head, he turned back to Blaine. "So are we good?"

"Yeah, we're good." Blaine said with a nod.

It was at that moment that Jeff came rushing up. "Wes, David! I've been looking for you guys everywhere!"

The blonde boy surveyed Blaine coolly before turning back to the council members. "I know what song I want to sing for the performance."

"That's great!" David said, casting a glance at Blaine. "What is it?"

"See you guys later." Blaine mumbled, turning and hastening down the hall. Just seeing the other Warbler so happily sure of himself sent a tongue of hot flames down Blaine's throat. He felt empowered, somehow, by his tumultuous emotions.

They always said that the best songs came from deep emotions. _Let's see if they're right_, Blaine thought, narrowing his eyes.

It wasn't until Blaine was back to his dorm that he realized he had neglected to ask who his duet partner was.

* * *

><p><strong>Kurt.<strong>

Kurt fell back onto his bed with a sigh. He had come straight back to his room after the meeting, not quite sure what to do with himself. While the others got to spend the weekend rehearsing songs and preparing for the performance of a lifetime, Kurt would be fine tuning his harmonies and practicing his background swaying. What a treat.

He knew he was being melodramatic, but after auditioning for both the solo and duet spot, it was a bit depressing to know that he hadn't gotten either. And Kurt _knew _his voice was amazing and a rarity in the group, so clearly it was something he had done to throw off his performance. Dueting with Jeff might not have been the smartest of ideas after the response they had gotten from the rest of the group. And his solo...

"Maybe I let all of this stuff with Blaine get to me too much," he told the roof of his dorm room, completely ignoring the fact that the 'stuff' with Blaine was _still _getting to him and probably wouldn't stop doing so for quite some time. After all, Blaine would be up there singing a solo in a couple of day's time, and, if his audition was anything to go by, it wouldn't be the most cheerful of songs. And Kurt crying in the middle of his solo audition probably didn't grant him any favors at all... except that Blaine had done the exact same thing, and _he_ had gotten a solo. _But of course Blaine would, his voice is exquisite_, Kurt thought ruefully, sighing.

As Kurt lost himself in silent contemplation and slight wallowing in self pity, the door swung open and David entered followed by Wes. Kurt didn't bother sitting up, used to the boys wandering in and out, until Wes cleared his throat importantly. "Oh," Kurt said, pulling himself up and swinging his legs off the bed, "did you need the room to practice or something?"

"No, actually we wanted to present you with this." David pulled a few sheets of paper out of his bag and handed them over before turning to smile at Wes.

Kurt glanced at the top of the first sheet and blinked. "What is this?"

"Congratulations, Kurt." Wes had the same look on his face as he did the last time Kurt had been awarded his solo. "You've been selected for the duet."

Kurt stared between the two of them for a second to make sure it wasn't a joke. "Yes, we're serious," David said, clearly having read the expression on his face. "You and your partner will be closing out the performance. I don't think we need to tell you how important this is, so make sure you put in a lot of practice. But we're confident in your abilities to deliver a strong performance."

The smile that crossed his face was one of the first genuine ones Kurt could remember giving anybody since the breakup. "Thanks guys."

"Don't thank us; you earned it." David clapped him on the shoulder quickly. "Okay, Wes and I are off to practice our number."

"Are you going to let anybody know what you've chosen yet?" Kurt couldn't help asking. David had refused to let him in on their song selection, which _they_ had known for about a week now.

But as usual, David shook his head, smirking. "You'll find out on Monday."

As the two turned to leave, Kurt was struck with an important thought. "How do I practice with my duet partner if I don't know who they are?"

Wes and David swapped a look. "You don't." Wes explained. "You just have to learn your part. We've decided that you and the person you're paired with have the natural harmonies to pull off an unrehearsed performance, and the song will actually seem more natural if you're singing it together for the first time on stage." Before Kurt could begin to argue or point out the flaws in their logic - every performance sounded better rehearsed, after all - the two boys were gone, the door closing quickly behind them. Kurt sighed, but couldn't stay down for long. _I've got the duet!_

His first instinct was to call Mercedes and gush about it, but common sense reminded him that he only had a short amount of time to work out his part, as well as try to prepare a harmony without knowing the range of the person he was harmonizing with. Glancing down at the sheet again, Kurt began to idly read through the lyrics before pausing. _What the...?_

He read it again, slowly, and his mind began to fill in the music to a song he had only heard once or twice, but was now a very significant song. Quickly grabbing his iPhone, Kurt pulled up YouTube and found the song, listening to it silently until it was over. Then he reacted.

"What the hell are they playing at? Do they _want _me to ruin the performance or something? We have a _once in a lifetime _chance here and they give me... _that_!"

Kurt took a deep breath, calming himself down. His frustration was still simmering beneath the surface, but sadness was quickly overtaking it. The fact that such a simple song which had had no meaning before their breakup could be completely ruined by his emotions was too much, and once again Kurt found himself in tears. "You need to get a grip," he told himself as sternly as possible. "Get a grip, or pull out of the duet."

Thankfully, that was all it took. Kurt knew that the duet was his shot at something bigger than Ohio, a chance to make a name for himself and for the rest of the Warblers to do the same. He couldn't let it be ruined by his petty emotions. _After all, it's just a high school breakup that happened a couple weeks ago. You should be over it, and even though you're not, you're going to get up there and act like you are._

His voice wavered a little as he worked his way through the verse, but was holding strong through the chorus. _I can do this_, he realized as he finished his part, glancing down at the words that his partner was going to sing. Just as he was about to start working on the bridge, he paused. _Hold on... what if I'm singing with Jeff?_

The thought was enough to practically knock Kurt off his feet. He knew how much drama it had caused when he and Jeff had dueted together - he had overheard Nick and Jeff talking about some kind of confrontation with Blaine the other day and couldn't help but feel awful about his part in it all. In hindsight, it was a completely stupid idea to use his friend, who was happily taken, and sing a _love song _with him to try and make his ex boyfriend jealous. Kurt sighed. He knew he hadn't really been thinking rationally at the time.

If he and Jeff had to duet together - and the chances were probably high, he had auditioned with Jeff after all - they might give a good performance, but the potential strain on Nick and Jeff's relationship wasn't something that Kurt wanted, not for the sake of just one performance. Not to mention that any chance of reconciliation with Blaine would be thrown completely out the window, even though Kurt hadn't chosen his partner.

He _knew_ that the Council had seen how awkward it was when he and Jeff had performed together, come to think of it, and hoped that they had chosen not to subject everybody to that again. Even though the performance had been natural from the outside, Kurt had felt strained as he sang the words to Jeff, knowing that they weren't his feelings for the blonde boy. They were his feelings for _Blaine_ - coincidentally, so was the song that the Council had selected. And everybody knew it.

_Wait... what if -_

No, Kurt decided instantly. They wouldn't have put him with Blaine for the duet, because Blaine already had a solo and that would be more than enough for him to focus on. And with that thought came another onslaught of relief as Kurt remembered that Jeff also had a solo. _So I'm probably not going to be with Jeff then._

Kurt decided there was no point in trying to predict his partner, and instead decided to head down to the music room to get some proper practice in. After all, he had two days to master a song to performance standard.

And this time, it wasn't a show choir competition hanging in the balance. This time it could be the rest of their lives.

* * *

><p><em><strong>DRAMATIC OUTRO MUSIC! *Jaws theme begins to play* …Well, that's good enough, I guess.<strong>_

_**So tell me, readers…What do you think Jeff's solo is going to be? What about Wes and David's performance? What about Klaine's duet? I'm really curious to see what you come up with. And if you guess correctly than you are BOSS like a freakin' Zefron poster! =D**_

**(Sarah: Honestly, I just felt like contributing. We'll probably give you something if you guess correctly by the way - and guesses can be either reviewed or sent to our Twitter accounts =D I also have Tumblr and I can't resist plugging it, so if you want to follow me, check my profile (foraworldundeserving) for the link.)**

_**Till next time, then. Over and out!**_

_**~SquirrelzAttack**_


	11. Performance Part One

***hyperventilates***

**I can't believe we're here! **

**First of all, apologies on mine (Sarah's) and Angela's behalf for the delay in this chapter. I've been given a new two week challenge that's taking up a lot of my time at the moment, and we both struggled to get this chapter written for some reason. But it's here now! :)**

_**(Angela: Struggled would be putting it lightly for me. This chapter was a pain in the freaking neck. Just ask Sarah. I freaked out via email to her about it.)**_

**Something Angela and I realized we've been neglecting is to give you the names for the songs we've used. So we went back, took an inventory and we're going to give them to you in one hit here. Ready?**

**Chapter Four: **_**Don't Go Breaking My Heart**_** (New Directions)**

**Chapter Five: **_**Two Is Better Than One**_** (Kurt and Jeff)**

**Chapter Seven: **_**Rhythm of Love**_** (Wes), **_**Pricetag**_** (David), **_**Kiss From A Rose**_** (Jeff)**

**Chapter Eight: **_**Behind These Hazel Eyes**_** (Blaine)**

**Chapter Nine: **_**I Hate Myself for Losing You**_** (Blaine), **_**When It's Over**_** (Kurt)**

**And the rest will be given as they're written in the chapters. If we forget and you want to know, just review :)**

**I'll save the rest of my notes for the end of the chapter. They'll be relevant there :)**

* * *

><p><strong>Kurt.<strong>

Somehow, unbelievably, it was Monday.

The tension around Dalton over the weekend had been unbearable, in the words of a few of Kurt's year level who had been unfortunate enough to not go home for the weekend. Every Warbler had stuck around - those who didn't board were rooming with friends - for final practices, hammering out details and just basically spending time as a group and trying not to let their nerves get the better of them.

Yes, they had performed before, many times. Everyone in the group was a born performer. But this... this was big. This was something that _nobody_ had done before. The closest they had was Blaine who had performed at theme parks and Christmas concerts. But nothing this big had _ever _been on the line, and everybody was acutely aware that all it took was one person to ruin the whole thing.

So they practiced, almost nonstop until David had to order them to take a break so they didn't lose their voices. They ran through choreography which Wes had rearranged _three times _until David had to force him to stop and take charge himself. That didn't last for long. Kurt counted 12 meetings over two days and he was about ready to steal the gavel from Wes and knock him unconscious with it. Of course he was just as nervous as the others and wanted things to be perfect, but wearing them all out wasn't going to help. After a quiet suggestion to David, he cancelled Wes's final practice in favor of a movie, which nobody paid attention to due to nerves. Still, it was a break and they needed it.

When Wes wasn't running them all ragged, he and David were off practicing their number. The rest of the group had been taught the main points they needed for the harmony and the choreography, but the song was still under wraps. Jeff and Blaine were both mostly off the scene as well, practicing their solo numbers. And Kurt took as much time as he could without missing practices to try and get himself accustomed to his half of the duet.

It wasn't easy though. Apart from the part where he wasn't singing _with _anyone when he practiced, the Council had picked a song that Kurt was struggling to come to terms with and sing without emotion. When David had come back to the room that afternoon, Kurt had proceeded to berate him on their song choice, asking whether he wanted a good performance or 'a sobbing mess on the stage.'

David's answer had been simple and perfectly calculated. "Kurt, if you can't handle this duet, we can hand it over to somebody else. It's as easy as that."

Of course there was no chance of Kurt handing over his song, so he just had to suck it up and bear it. But if there had ever been a song that described his feelings right now, this was it, and Kurt couldn't shake the feeling that there was no _way _this was just a coincidental choice.

So, they had all practiced, they had put in everything they had and would have to do the same all over again when they actually performed. But would it be enough?

There was only one way to find out.

* * *

><p>Monday brought a group of nervous boys huddled by a bus. Wes was inside making their final arrangements and receiving 'the well wishes of Dalton' from the administration and principal, David was on the phone with Brian - hopefully <em>not <em>receiving any news that would change their plans - and Thad was going through the setlists one more time. _Because, of course, they've suddenly changed themselves in the middle of the night. _

Kurt himself was just focusing on breathing. He had already received texts from half of New Directions wishing him good luck, even though he was only on speaking terms with Mercedes and Sam right now. _Yet another thing to fix up_, he reminded himself. The stupid argument with them had gone on long enough. He and Blaine were broken up and that was that. He didn't need to lose friends over it.

As he thought of Blaine, Kurt couldn't stop himself from glancing over in his ex boyfriend's direction. Blaine had a notebook clasped in his hands and was staring up at the sky and Kurt couldn't stop the same twinge of regret that had still refused to leave him. Blaine still looked beautiful to him, no matter how angry they had been at each other, no matter what words had been said. And all Kurt wanted to do was go over there and wish him good luck, tell him he was going to do an amazing job... and tell him he loved him and wanted him back.

But none of that could happen now. There was too much at stake to let his emotions get in the way. Especially if Kurt wanted Blaine to get that EP, which he _knew _the boy deserved more than anybody else. So, once again, he pushed his emotions back and focused on his own performance.

"Alright, we're all set!" Wes had reappeared without Kurt noticing and was now standing by the door of the bus. "It's an hour to get there, so if anybody has issues with travel and motion sickness, I want to hear it _now_, not halfway there." Nick quietly raised his hand. "Alright, you're up in front. Warblers, on the bus."

Thankfully there was plenty of room, and as much as Thad and Ethan tried, they couldn't force Kurt to sit next to Blaine this time. Instead, Kurt took a seat to himself, smoothing out his shirt nervously and congratulating himself once again on their outfits. The Council, as they should have, came to him a couple of days ago and asked his honest opinion on what Kurt considered to be the biggest issue; should they wear their blazers?

"_We've worn them for every other performance. You see the blazers, you see the Warblers."_

_Kurt nodded. "I know that. But you also see Dalton Academy, a high school. Do you want to be seen as a 'high school show choir' during one of the biggest opportunities this group has ever had? Or do you want to make the Warblers known for being the Warblers, not the boys in the blazers?"_

_It only took David and Thad a few seconds to come to the right conclusion; Wes took a bit longer. "But it looks polished and we all look the same."_

"_How about this?" Kurt suggested. "I'll design an outfit for everybody to wear. If you like it, run with it. If not, then it's up to you what you do. But in my professional opinion, the blazer is a no."_

And the moment Kurt had walked in to the fourth meeting of the weekend wearing the proposed outfit - black pants, black dress shirt and plain white tie - the decision was made. Whether Wes liked it or not wasn't even of importance as every single other Warbler was sold. Even Blaine had managed to look at him for the few seconds it took to form an opinion, and Kurt tried really hard not to think about how much it had hurt that Blaine didn't _want_ to lookat him.

But it was no use. Of course Kurt was still thinking about Blaine. He had it from a very reliable source (okay, it was _Sex and the City, _but it still counted) that it took half the time of the relationship to get over the break up, but Kurt knew that if he was going to get over Blaine any time soon, he should have already started healing. It shouldn't hurt him so deeply to see his ex boyfriend every single day, to not be able to talk to him or kiss him. It shouldn't hurt him so much to sing a duet like the one he was going to perform in a few hours, especially when it didn't even matter who he was paired with. It was all about the words of the song.

Kurt still hadn't worked out who he was going to sing with. Nobody else looked particularly nervous or stressed except for those who had confirmed solos, which left Kurt still tossing up the idea that he _was _with Jeff. If Nick hadn't been down the front - and if Kurt didn't have serious issues with potential vomit - he would have apologized in advance, just in case.

_You're a performer. So get up there, give the audience - and the Council - what they want, __then__ you can go back to moping. Just hold it together for a few hours._

But Kurt was so incredibly sick of 'holding it together' and pretending he was okay. Everybody knew he wasn't anyway.

"Woah..."

Kurt looked across the aisle, mouth open to ask Cameron what was wrong when the words died. Wes had mentioned the word mansion, but Kurt had absolutely _not _expected the place they were pulling up outside. It had to be at _least _five stories with expansive grounds, an expensive feel about it... and rows of cars parked outside, clearly from people who were here to watch the performance.

To watch _them._

As they pulled to a stop, Wes stood and faced the group. Kurt could see that even he was a bit shaken by where they had just arrived, but still addressed them as confidently as he could. "I'll be going in first to get instructions on where we should go to set up. You can get off the bus but don't go wandering - there's no way I want to waste time looking for a lost Warbler."

Wes left, heading towards the main doors as the rest of the group filed off the bus. It was only a few moments of nervous shuffling and attempts at conversation later when Wes returned with a man in tow. _At least he looks cheerful..._

"Welcome, Warblers, to my home! My name's Brian Royston, and it's an honor to have you guys here today. I've seen your performances and heard great things so don't stress. You're going to be great!"

_Easy for you to say, _Kurt thought mutinously. _You're not the one who's going to be up there performing for the chance of a lifetime. You're already there._

Brian led them through the main entrance where Kurt took a moment to take in the luxury of the house they had just entered. If he didn't plan to be living in an apartment in New York one day, this would be the kind of house he would love - elaborate, immaculate design scheme, but able to be lived in. It wasn't a museum but it certainly wasn't anything like any other house Kurt had seen.

As they neared a large set of double doors, Kurt almost baulked as he heard the chattering of voices inside. _What have we signed ourselves up for? _Brian led them past the doors, down to a smaller door down the hall. "So here's backstage. Will ten minutes be long enough to get ready?" Wes nodded. "Okay, I'll set you guys up audio wise and we're ready to rock and roll!"

Brian opened the door to reveal a small green room that clearly led to the backstage area. "Good luck, gentlemen!"

The Warblers all filed in, glancing around nervously. From here, the noise was even louder and it was far too clear to them that this performance was happening _today. _Kurt felt his legs try to give out and quickly found himself a seat along with most of the other Warblers. Wes was pacing, his lips moving silently as he rehearsed his song. Glancing around, Kurt saw Nick's arms wrapped around Jeff, who looked like he was shaking. David looked like he was going to pass out any second and Blaine… Blaine had his usual game face on. But Kurt knew he wasn't immune to nerves, they just wouldn't hit him quite yet.

Kurt attempted to take deep breaths, twisting his hands together until his fingers went white. _Okay, okay, you can do this. Just get out there, give the backing vocals the others need, then… sing a duet. With someone you've never practiced before. Of a song that pretty much breaks your heart every time you sing… stop that!_

He wasn't quite sure who exactly had started it, but soon enough the harmony to the chorus of _Breakaway _was floating through the room, Blaine automatically taking the lead vocals. Kurt joined in, finding his voice melding with the rest effortlessly.

"_I spread my wings and I learned how to fly,_

_I'll do what it takes until I touch the sky,_

_Make a wish, take a chance, make a change,_

_And break away."_

And it wasn't so much the words that were encouraging Kurt, it was the fact that they could pull together a harmony like this with no rehearsal. They knew each other well enough as a group that impromptu performances were almost second nature by now. That was all Kurt needed to know that they _could _do this.

"_Out of the darkness and into the sun,_

_But I won't forget the place I come from,_

_I've gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change,_

_And break away."_

As the final harmony echoed through the room, Thad stood. "On that note, I'll go and announce us."

And just like that, the nerves were back in full force. Kurt stood shakily with the rest of the group as Wes called them in, glancing over at Blaine one more time. _Good luck_, he thought silently, wishing with all of his heart that he could say the words, and all of the others that had been left unsaid for so long.

"Alright, gentlemen." Wes glanced solemnly around at the nervous Warblers, arms crossed. Kurt prepared himself for one of Wes's trademark 'pep talks' which always ended up being a lecture.

And then the Council mask fell away and Wes was smiling at them all. "Let's go and make Warbler history!"

Kurt blinked a couple of times before feeling his own smile break across his face. Despite the raging nerves inside him, despite the fact that Thad was walking out there to introduce them _right now_… they were a team. They were doing this together, and they could do this and they were _going _to do this.

As Wes led them onto the curtain-covered stage, Kurt took his place in the formation and took a deep breath, lowering his head.

_Time to give the biggest performance of your life. _

* * *

><p><strong>Blaine.<strong>

Blaine had thought that his parents were fairly rich. His father was a successful lawyer and made more money a year than should be _legal_. They had a _giant_ house in Westerville. But when the Warblers had reached Royston Manor, his jaw had dropped, and he'd had trouble picking it off the floor for the next ten minutes.

The manor was beautiful even from the outside. Even the _driveway_ was impressive, long and a shining amber color. In the entrance foyer, the floors had been a shocking white marble, and the style was very tastefully contemporary. They hadn't seen much else before they were herded into the green room, though.

Seriously, Blaine thought as the Warblers filed onto the stage in the auditorium, what kind of person has enough money for an _auditorium_ in their _basement_? Keeping in pace with David, he turned to comment on it, and saw that his friend looked a little green around the gills.

"Dave, are you okay?" Blaine whispered as they spread out into their usual formation.

David swallowed roughly. "I'm fine." He whispered back, nervously straightening his silky white tie.

Blaine wasn't so sure. He'd never seen his friend so fidgety and ashen-faced, but he decided to leave it alone. David was probably just nervous. Blaine bit his lip. _He_ was nervous too. Not only did he have a solo, he had a duet with a mystery partner. And sure, he had his part memorized and stuff, but if he screwed it up then they wouldn't get the contract, and everyone would hate him. And he did _not_ want that to happen.

Shaking himself firmly, he tuned back in to reality just as Thad was finishing announcing them. "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present the Dalton Academy Warblers!"

There was polite applause as Thad slid back behind the curtain, taking his place to the right of Wes, looking rather pleased with himself. There was a pause, and then with barely a sound, the curtain whooshed open, and the stage lights nearly blinded Blaine. He blinked a few times against the harsh glare, adjusting quickly.

Blaine surveyed the crowd. There were more people than he'd been expecting – about forty young men and women, all dressed in extremely formal clothes. It wasn't like they filled the entire seating area or anything, but Blaine had been expecting maybe fifteen people at the _most_ to be there, and this just added on to his already mounting nerves. But, as with every performance, there was no space to be nervous. You just had to trust yourself and dive in headfirst.

And then he joined in as the Warblers burst into their background singing. "Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na!"

David smoothly stepped out of place and into the front, holding out his arms. His nerves appeared to have faded completely as he began to sing.

"_Could you be a teenage idol?_

_Could you be a movie star?_

_When l turn on my TV, will you smile and wave at me, _

_Telling Oprah who you are?"_

Wes slid up and playfully nudged David out of the way. David smiled and fell to the side, letting his best friend take the spotlight.

"_So you want to be a rock star?_

_With blue-eyed bunnies in your bed?_

_Well, remember when you're rich that you sold yourself for this_

_You'll be famous 'cause you're dead."_

And the two joined in a perfect harmony as the Warblers did their usual swaying behind them. From his position in the back, Blaine was amused by the way Wes and David could so easily play the lines off of each other. They'd had this under wraps since the day after their auditions, and obviously the hard work had paid off.

"_So don't go higher for desire_

_Put it in your head_

_Baby, Hollywood is dead_

_You can find it in yourself."_

Just like in practice, the Warblers broke formation, making the most of the large stage. They spread into a hemisphere, enclosing in Wes and David. Even after all this time, they were _still_ having problems with their theatrical sides.

"_I don't want to take you dancing_

_When you're dancing with the world,"_

Smiling teasingly, David grabbed Wes's hand and gave the shorter boy a quick twirl.

"_You can flash your caviar and your million dollar car_

_I don't need that kind of girl."_

It was a truly excellent song choice. Blaine was impressed, something that he could rarely say about his two loony friends. And, in truth, it singled out where they were all aspiring to go: Hollywood. Or, well, Broadway.

"_But could you be the next sensation?_

_Will you set the latest style?_

_You don't need a catchy song, 'cause the kids will sing along_

_When you shoot it with a smile."_

_Oh my god the song's almost over_, Blaine thought, panicked, nerves striking him in the gut with a dull blow. _Focus on your singing!_ He told himself sternly, keeping up his stage-smile.

The Warblers moved forward again, lining the front of the stage in neat rows, some dropping the background vocals to sing actual _words_.

"_So don't fly higher for desire_

_Put it in your head_

_Baby, Hollywood is dead_

_You can find it in yourself_

_No, no, no, no!"_

David stepped back into line with the rest of the Warblers, giving Wes the final spotlight.

"_Keep on lovin' what's true_

_And the world will come to you_

_You can find it in yourself!_

_Hollywood is dead!"_

Blaine kept up his glowing smile until the lights dimmed. Nervously tugging at his collar and gulping way too much to be reasonable, he walked with the others into their positions for the next song. _Oh my god…my solo is only a song away…panic! Panic! Panic!_

But instead of freaking out like a tween at a Twilight premiere, he stepped into place beside David.

"Great job." He whispered, smiling in the near-darkness.

"Thanks, man." David whispered back, looking infinitely relieved.

_One down_, Blaine thought nervously as Jeff stepped to the front of the stage, _three to go_.

* * *

><p><strong>So immediately I know there's a few people feeling a bit cheated, who probably expected this chapter to be the entire performance. Let me explain. Over the course of the performance, we want to keep to our original way of writing the chapters which is only having the one POV switch per chapter (which I think we've only broken away from once). The performance itself entails a lot of POV switching, so we had to break it up. This way we don't have one mega long chapter as well, and you would have been waiting longer if we had written it all in one chapter anyway.<strong>

_**(Angela: And trust me, it's better this way.)**_

**Plus, now you have suspense! And we're good at that ;) **

**This song was **_**Hollywood **_**by Michael Buble :)**

**Thanks for reading! **

**Love Sarah**


	12. Performance Part Two

_**Hello once more again audience! Can you believe it's Chapter Twelve?**_

_**SquirrelzAttack/Angela here for another heart-wrenching, tear-jerking chapter of Edge of Glory! I have been DYING DYING DYING to write this chapter. DYING, I tell you! So I'm super excited to be able to post it! I hope you all enjoy it, but we have a couple of things to address first.**_

_**I really thought we were done being angry and calling you guys out for stuff. I had a pretty good freakout in Chapter Four, and I thought that that might stem the flow of irritatingly critical and nitpicky reviews. Unfortunately, this has been the unofficial 'piss-off-the-author' month on FanFiction, and I don't know about Sarah, but I have gotten quite upset at a couple of reviews. I won't be naming anyone specific, but I would like **__**everyone**__** to pay close attention. **_

_**First of all, there are people who **__**still**__** forget that Klaine is not the only focus of this story. We've been doing our best to convey that the performance is actually **__**important**__**. It matters, and a lot of you seem to forget that. Also, a LOT of you conveniently forget about Jeff. He's important too. There's a reason we had and still have his character so heavily involved. He's provided a few key elements to this whole development. You can't just toss him aside and go, "Nah, he doesn't matter. FRICKIN' GIVE ME KLAINE." No. Just no. That is exactly the kind of attitude we **__**don't**__** want.**_

_**There's this little thing called creative license. I don't know what your deal is, but **__**we are allowed to use creative license**_**. **_**Anything that doesn't coincide with something canon is probably intentional. We modify things for use in this story, and we have every right to do so. Klaine is OOC, the Warblers are OOC, and we reserve the right to stray as far from canon as we frickin' please. Don't you **__**DARE**__** tell us that you don't think the characters would behave like that. Know why? BECAUSE THEY. ARE. OUT. OF. CHARACTER. **_

_**I'm sorry. But I am so sick of getting crap for this. I have little to no patience with idiotic critics, and this is what happens when my fuse runs out.**_

**(Sarah: My turn. The people who criticized me on the outfit choices - yes, I know it's pretty much exactly what ND wore to Nationals. But Nationals hasn't happened yet, has it? And I honestly think that with Kurt back at McKinley, he would have had the biggest input into what the boys wore on stage, therefore when it came to a Warbler outfit, he would have selected something similar. That's my logic and the outfit looks fantastic so I have no apologies for putting it in.)**

_**And all of that stuff bothers me. But you know what bugs me more? The people who do **__**exactly**__** what I just freaked about, but don't read the AN. Because I know 80% of our readers won't read this. And that ticks me off more than anything.**_

_**On a lighter note, only a few more chapters until the end! Three more after this, if I have my numbers straight. I hope you've enjoyed following this story, and I hope you enjoy how it ends!**_

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><p><strong>Kurt.<strong>

Kurt couldn't keep the smile off his face as they assembled for the next song. He knew without a doubt that Wes and David had absolutely nailed that number and the crowd seemed to have loved it. Any doubts that Kurt had had about the performance were all but gone… that was until he remembered that his duet was coming up in two songs time. _Just breathe and focus on Jeff's solo._

Glancing over, Kurt saw Nick whispering in Jeff's ear before kissing him on the cheek and moving back to his position. Even in the dim light, Kurt could see the near panicked look on his face and realized that this was Jeff's first solo and therefore the biggest performance he had ever done.

"Jeff," Kurt whispered softly, the blonde boy turning to him nervously. "You're going to do fantastic, okay? We all believe in you." It was corny, yes, but it seemed to work. Jeff took a deep breath and managed to smile before snapping his head back to the front as the lights began to come up again.

Just as Kurt was turning his attention back to the audience, he saw Blaine out of the corner of his eye glaring daggers into the back of Jeff's head. Kurt held in a sigh, wondering when that grudge was going to end before he saw Blaine glance _his_ way and realized. _He saw me talking to Jeff. He's … jealous?_

But that was something to focus on later. Right now the lights were up and the audience was ready. Kurt plastered his best smile on his face and waited for Jeff to start singing.

There was a moment of silence and Kurt thought that Jeff had lost his confidence. He heard Wes shuffling nervously behind him - clearly the Head Warbler was trying to think of a backup plan in case Jeff couldn't do it at all. But then Kurt saw Jeff's shoulders straighten and he stepped forward.

"_I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing,_

_Just praying to a God that I don't believe in,_

'_Cause I got time while he got freedom_

'_Cause when a heart breaks, no it don't break even."_

Kurt blinked a couple of times as he automatically joined in on the harmony. _But he and Nick are still together… what? _He had to admit, the song was perfect for Jeff's vocals, but there were plenty of other songs by The Script that Jeff could have covered, so why this one?

"_His best days will be some of my worst,_

_He finally met a man who's gonna put him first,_

_While I'm wide awake, he's no trouble sleeping_

'_Cause when a heart breaks don't it don't break even, even."_

Following the rest of the Warblers across the stage, Kurt was fighting to keep his smile in place in lieu of a confused frown. Nick had just broken from the formation, stepping up next to Nick and shooting him a quick smile before _joining _Jeff in singing the chorus.

"_What am I supposed to do_

_When the best part of me was always you?_

_And what am I supposed to say_

_When I'm all choked up and you're okay?_

_I'm falling to pieces, yeah,_

_I'm falling to pieces,"_

Nick returned to his spot, ignoring the looks sent his way and continuing with the backing vocals. Kurt couldn't help but notice the irony in the couple singing a breakup song, but there was something niggling at the back of his mind that there was a _reason _Jeff was singing this particular song.

"_They say bad things happen for a reason,_

_But no wise words gonna stop the bleeding,_

_Cause he's moved on while I'm still grieving,_

_And when a heart breaks, no it don't break even, even."_

Jeff's voice was amazing and there was no sign of the nerves that had plagued him earlier as he kept the audience hanging on every word. Kurt had already picked out who the main people were to impress - namely the ones who were taking notes - and noticed that they seemed suitably impressed with what they were seeing. And right then, Kurt had never been prouder to be a Warbler. Sure, New Directions were going to Nationals in New York, he would always miss having the girls to hang out with and the insanity of their Glee club meetings. But this was like adopting a new family, like having a second home. And no matter how painful the last month had been for Kurt, he could never regret his time at Dalton. Not a single second of it.

"_What am I supposed to do_

_When the best part of me was always you?_

_And what am I supposed to say_

_When I'm all choked up and you're okay?_

_I'm falling to pieces, yeah,_

_I'm falling to pieces,"_

There was still the mystery to figure out of why Jeff had chosen _this _song. But as the bridge came up, Kurt suddenly had an inkling of what was going on and he couldn't stop himself from glancing over at Blaine. The second long glimpse he had of his ex boyfriend pretty much cemented the idea - Blaine's smile was obviously fake and his glares in Jeff's direction made it clear what he thought of the song choice.

_It's for us._

Kurt had no idea what to think of that. His first reaction was of hastily concealed anger - _it's none of their business! _But then he realized that he had_ made_ it Jeff's business when he involved him with the duet auditions so long ago. And of course it involved Nick, considering he was Jeff's boyfriend. The more he thought about it, the more Kurt realized how unfair the whole experience had been on the two boys. _Just because Blaine and I have been fighting doesn't mean other people should have to get involved._

"_Oh, you got his heart and my heart and none of the blame,_

_You took your suitcase, I took the blame,_

_Now I'm trying to make sense of what little remains,_

'_Cause you left me with no love and no love to my name!"_

The audience began to clap and Kurt could see the proud smile on Nick's face as he watched his boyfriend sing. Jeff really did look amazing standing out there, commandeering the stage as his own and Kurt could practically hear Wes, Thad and David's minds whirring with possibilities of more solos for the boy. He deserved them, after all, and Kurt suddenly remembered the EP up for grabs. _Maybe it's not 'in the bag' for Blaine like everybody thought… _

But Kurt refused to let himself look at Blaine again. That one glance had nearly cracked his composure and if he was going to get through his duet in a few songs time - his stomach flipped at the thought - he needed to keep his emotions at bay.

Of course Jeff's song choice wasn't helping with that very much.

"_I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing,_

_Just praying to a God that I don't believe in,_

'_Cause I got time while he got freedom_

'_Cause when a heart breaks no it don't break,_

_No it don't break, no it don't break even, no!"_

The Warblers built into a crescendo and Kurt saw a few members of the audience on their feet - admittedly they were the teenage girls that were there for some reason, but still. Kurt could feel the electric charge in the air that always accompanied a good piece of music and knew that they were on _fire_.

"_What am I gonna do when the best part of me was always you and_

_What am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're okay?_

_I'm falling to pieces, yeah_

_I'm falling to pieces, yeah_

_I'm falling to pieces!"_

Nick was singing the backing vocals as the group resumed their earlier formation, hands behind their backs as Jeff sang the final lines, his face all but glowing.

"_Oh it don't break even, no_

_Oh, it don't break even, no_

_It don't break even."_

The applause that rang out was wild and Jeff looked stunned as if he couldn't believe it was for him. He gave a small bow before the lights went out and then he was turning, throwing himself into Nick's arms as they switched formation for the next song. "You were _amazing_," Kurt heard Nick whisper before kissing him soundly and Kurt couldn't help but smile at them.

And then Kurt saw Blaine again and felt himself go numb as he remembered what came next. _Blaine's solo… _

Of course he had no idea what Blaine was going to sing, but if Jeff could sing something so emotionally convicting, what would _Blaine _sing? Kurt swallowed hard, trying to bring some moisture to his dry throat as he took his position. _Just stay strong, you can handle it._

He glanced over again to see Wes standing next to Blaine, a hand on his shoulder. Kurt could tell that Blaine was close to freaking out and his heart physically ached when he realized he couldn't go over there and pull him into a hug like he did every other time Blaine got nervous about something. He couldn't kiss him like Nick had for Jeff. All he could do was stand by and wait until Wes walked away and Blaine moved to the front of the stage, his expression switching to neutral.

Kurt only just managed to force himself to do the same a second before the lights rose.

* * *

><p><strong>Blaine.<strong>

The stage was once again washed in darkness, applause rang out for Jeff's solo, and Blaine was kicked into full-fledged panic mode.

_Oh no. Oh crap. Oh holy crap. I'm screwed. I'm screwed. Screwed screwed screwed screwed. Oh no no no no no! Why did I agree to do this? Why did I want this? Why is this happening? What if they think my song SUCKS? What if I blow it and everyone hates me? What if I start crying in front of everybody and look like an idiot? Oh GOD!_

"Blaine?"

Numbly, Blaine turned to his right, fighting to keep his expression smooth. He must've been doing a pretty terrible job, because Wes just looked even _more_ concerned.

"Blaine, are you okay?"

Blaine swallowed roughly, his throat blocked as a fiery tongue of molten panic tried to rise. He was prepared to lie and say he was fine. Put up a confident mask. Pretend like he was still his suave self. But he found himself saying, "No. I'm not okay, Wes. I can't do this. I – I can't!"

"Yes you can." Wes whispered, putting a hand on Blaine's shoulder. "Just think of this as one of our impromptu performances. Your song is awesome, I'm sure the judges will love it. Just take a deep breath and work it out, okay? You'll be fine. We're rock stars, remember?"

Blaine managed a weak smile. "Y-yeah. Right. Rock stars. Yeah. I can do this."

Wes smiled. "That's the right attitude. Go kill 'em!"

The Head Warbler slipped to the back of the stage where the others had already gathered. Gritting his teeth, Blaine got into place at the front, smoothing out his expression. He knew he'd never be able to keep his expression under control while performing (he never had in the past, and he supposed this was no exception) but it was at least worth a shot in the beginning.

Behind him, the Warblers started up a set of very soft _oohs_ and Blaine briefly closed his eyes. He knew the words. He knew the melody. He just needed to trust himself. Opening his eyes, he began to softly sing, putting all of his chaotic emotions on display.

"_It's been so long_

_Since I've been with you_

_What I did was wrong_

_I don't know what to do."_

Blaine remembered writing those words. He remembered being crouched on the floor of his dorm, his back leaning against the frame of his bed. He recalled the way just those few words had caused his vision to blur with tears. The original paper had been instantly dotted with salty droplets, and he'd sobbed his way through most of the song. It had been his feelings at their most raw.

"_The tide is pulling me under_

_And you're slipping away_

_Every word is like thunder_

_And we are starting to fade."_

_The chorus_. Blaine almost faltered. Almost. He steeled himself, firmly pushing on. For a dangerous second, he was tempted to turn and look around at Kurt. Every Warbler knew by now that this song was for Kurt, and it took every ounce of Blaine's self-control not to turn around and sing directly to his ex boyfriend.

"_We said things we didn't mean_

_We fell apart at the seams_

_But every second without you hurts_

_And right now I just don't see the worth._

_Because without you, what am I?_

_Sometimes I just wanna die_

_You know I can't live without your love_

_I'm nothing…"_

He came so very close to breaking at that moment. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he knew the pain was apparent on his face. With Herculean effort, he blinked back the tears and pressed on. He had to make it through. Maybe a couple of tears would add to the dramatic effect. But not now. Not yet. He couldn't afford to shatter so early.

"_Oh, why did we have to fight?_

_All it did was cause lonely nights_

_I cried so many times_

_I died a little inside."_

Blaine had to summon every last scrap of his willpower to stay on key. A single traitorous tear slipped down his cheek and onto his collar, but he managed to mostly restrain himself. Briefly, he wondered how Kurt was taking it. Indifferently, most likely. Maybe he wasn't even paying attention to the lyrics. That thought alone spurred Blaine onwards, his voice marred with genuine hurt and grief.

"_When I look at you now, I crumble_

_The pain's so bad, I stumble_

_Don't know how much longer I can go_

_Can't we, please, just make up?_

_Don't have to stay in a break up!_

_And baby, I want you to know…"_

This time around, Blaine had to choke back loud sobs. He no longer tried to restrain himself. What was the point? He probably looked like a pathetic baby anyway. What did he stand to lose? His pride had been gone for quite some time now, and he just didn't see the point anymore. He lifted his head to the light, the tears now falling fast and thick. Somehow, he managed to pull his voice together. He was amazed it was even possible at the moment, but he didn't wobble. If anything, the words came out stronger. Laced with sorrow, pain, and defeat, but strongly so.

"_That we said things we didn't mean_

_We fell apart at the seams_

_And every second without you hurts_

_Right now, I just don't see the worth_

_Because without you, what am I?_

_Everyday I want to die_

_I can't live without your love_

_I'm nothing."_

The Warblers started chiming in with words, echoing the lyrics, and Blaine knew that this was a disaster. He'd blown it. He'd screwed up. But he just felt so goddamn _awful_ that he didn't care. He couldn't bring himself to care. So he went ahead and finished, his voice gaining volume with each word, reaching up and echoing in the high ceilings. The tears were only thickening, if anything, and he made no move to wipe them away. He'd already cried like a baby, it was just insignificant.

"_I'm nothing!_

_I'm nothing!_

_Oh, I'm nothing!_

_I'm nothing…"_

And, as Blaine held out the last soft note, applause broke out once more. If he'd been paying any attention, he would've noticed that it had grown in volume from the last two performances. But as soon as the lights went out, he made his way to the back of the stage and was ambushed by the others. Someone wrapped their arms around him, and he allowed himself six seconds of crying onto that person's shoulder, clutching at their shirt, before pulling back, wiping at his eyes. David's concerned face loomed above him, outlined in the dark.

"I'm okay." Blaine whispered, straightening up. With embarrassment, he noticed that pretty much the whole group had gathered around him.

"Are you sure? Do you want to sit out?" Wes asked timidly from Blaine's right.

Blaine vigorously shook his head. "I'm fine. I'll live." He managed to give David a watery smile. "Sorry, man. But thanks."

"No problem." David patted him on the back before moving away, probably guessing that he needed space more than anything.

Blaine furiously wiped away the last of his tears. He needed to whip himself into control if he wanted to successfully perform that duet. Wes had arranged for Blaine and his mystery partner to start the performance from the wings. Turning on his heel, Blaine made his way to the back, where a set of stairs led up into the wings of the room. He looked over his shoulder, and something caught his eye. A figure doing exactly what he was doing, but on the opposite side of the stage. A tall figure. With pale skin. And perfect hair.

And, even though the person's back was to him, Blaine suddenly _knew_. He knew with a dreadful certainty. The knowledge hit him over the head with the force of a bulldozer, and he gripped the handrail on the stairs, feeling like he'd just been punched in the gut. But there was no denying that slim figure climbing the stairs opposite him.

_Kurt_.

* * *

><p><em><strong>I swear, we have way too much fun teasing you all with cliffhangers. So Blaine's a wreck and now knows about the duet, Kurt's just a wreck, Jeff is amazing, and Nick loves Jeff. This should be interesting. ;)<strong>_

_**Song used in this chapter:**_

_**Breakeven (Falling to Pieces) – Jeff**_

_**Nothing – Blaine**_

_**An interesting thing is that Riker Lynch (Jeff) tweeted a while back, saying, "I freaking love The Script! Such a good band!" That is a direct quote from his Twitter, I promise you. The Script (who sings Breakeven, by the way) is also his brother Rocky's favorite band. And I swear that that is entirely coincidental! But wouldn't it be awesome if R5 did a cover of that song? EPIC, right?**_

_**Another interesting fact is that Nothing is a completely original song, specially written for this story. Yep. You can troll the internet all you want, and you will not find that song anywhere. I'm positive. Know why? ;) I wrote it. Yeah, you read that right. Sarah breached the idea to me, and I just started idly writing it. I sent her the first verse and the chorus and she loved it instantly, so I ended up writing a song. =D You like? I wouldn't say I'm a great songwriter, but I'd love your feedback!**_

**(Sarah: Yes, she wrote it and it's incredible, isn't it? I don't believe there was a song out there that could capture Blaine's emotions as perfectly as that one could and at some point I'll totally convince her to make a video of herself singing it. Well, maybe…)**

_**Yeah, good luck with that one, Sarah. ;)**_

_**I'll see you all soon again! Bye bye!**_

_**~SquirrelzAttack**_


	13. Performance Part Three

**GUYS, ITS HERE!**

**We have been **_**dying **_**to share this chapter with you since the very first chapter of **_**Edge of Glory **_**was written and, first of all, our most sincere apologies for it taking so long. My work schedule and Angela's school schedule have not been meshing too great but we finally got a chance to get this sorted and it's here!**

**You have no idea how much I flailed while we wrote this. It's broken up a little different as you'll find and every time I got a section from Angela, I freaked out. And I just **_**adored **_**writing it, so so much. We've literally just finished it, and I have to go to work in like ten minutes but we're putting it up now because we can't wait any longer. It's been phenomenal to write. **

_**(Angela: Seriously. I had a lot of fun with this one, and I LOVE the way it turned out!)**_

**Oh, and nobody guessed the song they were singing. This song changed three times… all my fault. But I think we're both pretty happy with what we ended up with.**

_**(Angela: The song grew on me. I may even buy it now. It depends.)**_

**Enough from me! Read!**

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><p><strong>Kurt.<strong>

Kurt slowly made his way up the stairs, knuckles white against the railing. He let out a choked back sob, thankful that his microphone wasn't on yet and that his back was to everybody. He already knew this performance was going to be hell, the last thing he needed was for the Warblers to see that he was a complete wreck otherwise they might try to pull him out of his duet. And Kurt knew that was the last thing he needed right now, no matter how badly hurting he was.

Watching Blaine lose it like that had been the worst thing Kurt had ever seen and keeping his composure on stage the hardest. He had, of course, joined the rest of the Warblers surrounding Blaine when he had completely broken down at the end of his performance but had stuck to the outskirts, knowing he wouldn't be welcome. But as soon as Blaine had pulled away from David and turned to face the rest of the Warblers, Kurt knew he had to leave otherwise he was going to have a breakdown of his own. Climbing the stairs to take his position, Kurt had fought valiantly but his emotions won out as they always did.

But right now, he needed to _pull it together. _He had literally _seconds _before the Warblers would start the backing vocals and he would have to walk out on that walkway and do the duet with Jeff or whoever else it was he was going to be singing with and sing a song that summed up his feelings towards Blaine _perfectly _without showing Blaine how he felt.

There was one thing that was sure though - this situation had to end. So after the performance, Kurt was going to suck it up and talk to Blaine. Kurt wasn't naive enough to think that Blaine had held out waiting for him for this long and was resigned to the fact that Blaine would simply tell him it was over for good, that Kurt had hurt him too much to ever be able to forgive him, and move on. But whatever happened, there would be an outcome and that was what was important right now. This limbo situation was destroying him and Kurt couldn't keep living this way.

Holding onto the railing, Kurt adjusted his microphone carefully, hearing the slight rustle that meant it was turned on. He straightened his tie, wiped at his eyes and waited, taking deep breaths. Now that he was up here, his nerves about singing were coming back full force, especially since he had to sing _first_. And just as he felt like he was going to pass out, the backing vocals started from below him, the lights rising again. Kurt took one more deep breath and stepped out onto the walkway, feeling the blinding light of the spotlight hit him instantly.

"_If I had one single wish, _

_I'd go back to the moment I kissed,"_

As his eyes adjusted, Kurt couldn't stop himself from glancing down at the Warblers on the stage. They were all staring out into the audience as they were supposed to, but Kurt couldn't miss the flash of blonde hair and his heart jumped into his throat. _That's Jeff…_

_So who am I singing with?_

"_You goodbye, no matter how hard I tried,_

_But I can't live without you in my life."_

His emotions already running high from the song, Kurt continued to look over the Warblers almost frantically, trying to work out who was missing. He was barely aware of the flawless words coming out of his mouth or the way the audience was already responding positively as he quickly eliminated Warblers. The chorus was nearing and he would have his answer in a matter of seconds but still, knowing beforehand would make the harmonies work better and be much easier. Kurt knew his partner already knew who he was - his voice was very distinctive after all - and just hoped they would get the harmony perfect.

It was in the beat before the chorus began that Kurt realized with a dreadful certainty which Warbler was missing from below him. There was absolutely no question about it. _I'm going to be singing with -_

"_Maybe you'll say you still want me,_

_Maybe you'll say that you don't,"_

And _hell, _because there was _Blaine_, stepping out onto the other walkway, his voice melding perfectly with Kurt's as they always did. The emotion in his voice was so raw, even more so than his solo performance and Kurt could barely focus on getting his own words out as the tears began to well up again. _How could Wes and David do this to us?_

"_Maybe we said it was over,_

_But baby I can't let you go."_

And just as Kurt was realizing how _fitting _the words were and how incredibly true it was and _god_, how much he missed Blaine and remembering that he was supposed to be walking towards the end of the walkway to come down the stairs, Blaine finally glanced up.

And looked straight at him.

Kurt forgot how to breathe.

* * *

><p><strong>Blaine.<strong>

Blaine had known that it was coming. He'd known that, at any second, Kurt's angelic voice would float through the air. He'd had a few moments to prepare himself. But that didn't make it hurt any less.

For just a moment when Kurt started singing, Blaine was hurtled into a limbo. He was thrown back to all the other times he's heard Kurt sing – performing or otherwise. It hurt, remembering the times he'd listened to that _voice_, and knowing that some of the times had been for him, and him alone. It was the first time he'd heard his ex sing since their breakup, and the sensation that followed was surreal and terrible and truly heart-wrenching. Blaine knew this couldn't last. He felt that this performance would be a turning point for them, one way or another. He didn't know yet if it would turn for better or for worse, and in the meantime, this was going to be the toughest performance of his _life_.

When Blaine joined in for the chorus, stepping out into the spotlight, he tried not to look over at Kurt. He honestly did his best. He was fully aware of the complications it would provide, both for his singing and his emotions. But he found that, as their voices melded together and harmonized perfectly, he couldn't resist a second longer.

Those eyes…they'd always had the unwavering ability to take his breath away. Even from across the room, Blaine was able to stare directly into those glittering gray-blue depths. They were full of misery, pain. Blaine's heart was already crushed into fragments, but seeing the boy he loved like _that_ didn't help all that much.

Blaine took a deep breath, slowly moving down his walkway, keeping pace with Kurt. He'd learned the song by heart. Wes and David…those two meddling idiots. He didn't know how or why they expected him to make it through the performance without breaking down. _Especially_ after his disastrous excuse for a solo. The judges were going to think he had issues with his emotions or something. And even if that was _true_, he didn't want it to be exposed to _everyone_.

Hastily pulling himself together, Blaine began his part and tried not to think too deeply into the lyrics.

"_I walk around trying to understand_

_Where we went wrong, and I can't pretend_

_It wasn't me, it wasn't you_

_But I'm convinced we gave up too soon."_

* * *

><p><strong>Kurt.<strong>

Somehow Kurt had managed to walk to the end of the walkway without tripping over or doing something equally embarrassing like collapsing and bursting into tears. But _god _did he want to, especially when he listened properly to the words Blaine was singing, his hatred for Wes and David growing. _Why are they making us do this? _

Kurt expected his voice to be shaking but to his surprise it was still steady as they broke into the chorus. To any outsiders, this was just another performance, and the crowd was clearly loving it. But Kurt was destroying himself with every (_so truthful_) word he sang and Blaine clearly wasn't faring much better. Not that Kurt was letting himself look at Blaine… at least, he was _trying _not to. But every few seconds he just had to sneak a glance, as if to beat himself up more about it. _That's the best thing that ever happened to you over there, and you let him get away._

"_Maybe you'll say you still want me,_

_Maybe you'll say that you don't,_

_Maybe you'll say that it's over,_

_But baby, I can't let you go."_

Kurt had a few seconds of blissful relief as he descended the stairs. The Warblers built up the harmony in preparation for the bridge and, in an eerily similar representation of New Directions, Kurt entered the auditorium from the back, beginning to walk along the aisle. He could see a few members of the audience looking at him but Kurt's only focus was on Blaine who was walking down the opposite aisle, still keeping time with Kurt perfectly. And any minute now, Blaine was going to start singing again and then Kurt would have to sing and then they'd be on _stage_ and there was no way Kurt could _do this._

And then Blaine looked across and caught his eye as he began to climb the stairs, holding his gaze with such an expression of _regret _that Kurt couldn't keep the first tear from slipping down his cheek because _what does __he__ have to regret? I'm the one who screwed this up!_

"_There's nothing left to lose after losing you,_

_There's nothing I can't take,"_

Blaine closed his eyes for a second after singing his half of the bridge and Kurt nearly fell over right there and there. He was dimly aware of himself beginning to walk up the stairs, singing his own lines, somehow continuing the performance, but he wasn't there. His heart was racing and his head was spinning and he could barely _breathe_ because he had recognized that _look _on Blaine's face and it all hit him, all at once.

_Blaine doesn't hate me._

_He wants me __back__._

* * *

><p><strong>Blaine.<strong>

_You can do this. The song's almost finished. Tough it out, Blaine_.

Blaine pried his eyes away from Kurt just as he reached the top of the steps, his breathing a little uneven. He hoped the microphone didn't pick it up. But then they were facing each other again, and Kurt was singing again…and it was all an overwhelming rush of pain.

"_When I run to you,_

_When I come for you,_

_Don't tell me I'm too late!"_

As Kurt held out the last note, strong and high, the audience burst into ecstatic applause, most of them standing and cheering wildly. Blaine was barely paying attention to that, however. His eyes were trained on Kurt. The lyrics raced through his mind. Did Kurt really feel that way about him? Still? After all this time? Sure, they were just song lyrics. But there was something about the way Kurt sang them that made Blaine's brain go haywire. There was a raw kind of honesty on his ex boyfriend's porcelain face that struck him, and shook him to the core. Their eyes locked, and Blaine looked Kurt full in the face. _Really_ looked. What he saw was his own emotions…reciprocated.

Blaine's breath caught. He was absolutely dumbstruck.

_Wait…Kurt wants to get back together?_

He felt rather like he had during _Blackbird_. And suddenly, with tears filling his eyes and euphoria coursing through his chest, the performance didn't seem like such a big deal after all.

Slowly, they walked towards each other, their looks of realization and shock mirroring each other. Blaine only just remembered that he still needed to _sing_.

"_Maybe you'll say you still want me_

_Maybe you'll say that you don't_

_Maybe we said it was over_

_Baby, I can't let you go!_

_No!"_

Kurt held out the _no_ as the Warblers chimed in with background vocals. Blaine was dimly aware of the Warblers moving around them in some kind of choreographed routine, but he disregarded it. He disregarded everything except _Kurt_, and as he sang his next lines, he stretched out his hands for Kurt to take, praying to every deity he could think of that Kurt truly returned his feelings.

"_Can't let you go!"_

The look on Kurt's face was incredible. He looked so stunned for a moment, and then a relieved, almost disbelieving smile spread across his face.

"_No!"_

As Kurt sang the word, he reached forward. The moments their hands touched, electricity shot through Blaine's system, a static charge that pulled him inwards instead of pushing him away. He twined their fingers together, tightening his hold, and was so, _so_, relieved when Kurt gripped his hand back.

"_Can't let you go!"_

To emphasize his point, Blaine grasped Kurt's fingers tighter. They stood together, gripping hands, staring straight into each other's eyes. Blaine would've normally felt exhausted by all of his turbulent emotions, but what rose above all the rest was _love_. He just loved Kurt _so much_. The sensation of relief was incredible. A semi-truck had been lifted off of his shoulders, one that he hadn't even realized was there until now.

"_Can't let you go…"_

The Warblers faded out as Blaine finished out the song. There was a static buzz as their microphones cut out. The crowd, breathless with excitement, waited exactly two seconds before once again breaking out into roaring cheers, some of them even cat-calling and whistling their appreciation.

And although the crowd was on their feet, all Blaine could see was Kurt. Their hands were still clasped together, knuckles turning white with force, but Blaine couldn't bear to let him go. Not again.

"I'm sorry," Kurt murmured brokenly. "Blaine, I'm so - so sorry."

"I know, I - me too, so much." Blaine could barely speak through his tears. "Never again, Kurt."

Kurt shook his head vigorously, a sob shaking his frame. "Never again. Never."

The curtain fell, the stage was washed in darkness, and Kurt gasped sharply, falling into Blaine's arms and burying his head into the shorter boy's shoulder, sobbing his heart out. Blaine was crying too, letting all of his emotions tumble out, breathless as he continued to spill broken sentences and apologies. He wasn't even fully aware of what he was saying – all he knew that Kurt was back in his arms, and somehow everything was alright again.

Neither of them was aware of how long they stood there, clinging to each other, sobbing unashamedly. They didn't care. _Blaine_ certainly didn't care. But after a while, he managed to get a tiny ounce of self-control, and pulled back, giving Kurt a watery smile. Kurt returned the grin, sniffling and wiping his tears with one hand. His other hand found Blaine's again, and they linked fingers, still clutching as tight as ever.

A tiny cough interrupted their moment, but for once Blaine wasn't bothered.

"Not to interrupt the beautiful, sentimental moment you two are having…" Wes said, stepping forward to the front of the group. He crossed his arms and smirked. "But allow me to say, on behalf of all of us – _it's about freaking time, dammit_!"

The other Warblers erupted into laughter, and they all converged upon Kurt and Blaine. They were a swarm of black with white flashes for a few minutes, and Blaine received quite a few pats on the back. There was a moment where he caught Jeff's eye. They held gazes for a moment. Blaine bit his lip guiltily. He'd acted terribly to someone he should have been considering a friend. But Jeff just gave him a nod before looking back at Nick. _We'll talk later_, Blaine decided wearily.

Wes informed the group that they wouldn't get their results for a few days at _least_, and they all piled back onto the bus, resigned and exhausted. Blaine's tiredness was much more emotional than physical. But, as he strolled out to the bus, Kurt's slender hand in his, he couldn't help but feel happier than he had in weeks.

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><p><strong>Klaine is ON! <strong>

_**(Angela: Bet you TOTALLY weren't expecting that…*cough*)**_

**As the co-author, I'm in love with this chapter. I hope you guys love it too, I really do. **

**The song was **_**Maybe **_**by Enrique Iglesias, one of my personal faves. It took a little while to win Angela over to the artist but the lyrics couldn't be topped unless Angela wrote it herself.**

_**(Angela: *preens*)**_

**(Speaking of which, if you haven't found out yet, Angela has sung **_**Nothing**_**, Blaine's song from last chapter, and put it on YouTube. Search her penname and you should find it)**

_**(HEY! I WAS SUPPOSED TO TELL THEM ABOUT THAT AND BE ALL SENTIMENTAL AND THANK ALL OF THEM FOR BEING THE BEST FANS EVER. GOD, SARAH, YOU RUIN EVERYTHING! ;) Seriously, I love you guys. You're so amazing! I got everything form 'pretty good' to 'OMG YOU'RE SO AMAZING' and I really couldn't ask for better readers. I love you all. Special thanks to HIcDec, GleeWicked, serangel26, syklarishere, janitajasmin, BeccaJamieThomas93, rockwen13, Thenumberonefemalediva, Wolf Princess girl, ricebubble, IOpenAtTheClose7, hoza13, xaviertheipodsayshi, and Deewani, who all left me wonderful comments. You guys are the best. 3 :'D)**_

**Only two chapters to go now! Stay tuned because it's not even close to being over yet! **

**Love Sarah/foraworldundeserving**


	14. Beginnings

**_Hello once more again audience!_**

**_Bet you thought it was over, didn't you? ;)_**

**_Sorry again for the gap between chapters, but, as you know, Sarah is extremely busy, and I am being slowly murdered by homework. So, we had a good excuse. If you'd like to blame anyone, blame Sarah's boss and my teachers._**

**_Just one quick announcement before you can start reading: Sarah and I have decided to add another chapter to this story, making it 16 chapters instead of 15. There was just too much to cram into this one, so we're extending it a little. It's for the greater good, I promise._**

**_I think it's safe to say that we had way too much of a good time writing this. This may very well be my favorite chapter so far. In any case, read it and judge for yourself!_**

**(Sarah: Oh my goodness, mine too. It's just… well, read. Read and love.)**

**_Enjoy!_**

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><p><strong>Blaine.<strong>

When Blaine first awoke the next morning, he realized instantly that he wasn't in his dorm. He blinked sleepily and raised a hand to rub at his eyes, wondering where exactly he was. It was a second or two before he vividly remembered the previous night's events, and all of his chaotic emotions came hurtling back.

But wait…that meant…

Blaine turned over and was suddenly nose-to-nose with a still-sleeping Kurt Hummel. Kurt's cheeks were still crisscrossed with tear streaks, but his breaths were steady and his face was free of pain. And, in the faint golden light of the morning, Blaine was reminded once again how utterly gorgeous Kurt was. He relaxed his shoulders and settled back down, taking time to completely admire the fine structure of Kurt's face.

Now, normally Blaine would've felt a little like a stalker just staring at Kurt while he was sleeping. But with everything that had happened…it all seemed like a miracle. It reminded Blaine that Kurt was his, all his. It was such an enormous relief, he could barely even fathom it. He had to keep reminding himself that it was all real, and yesterday had actually happened.

Almost as if Kurt could sense his gaze, the countertenor began to stir, mumbling something under his breath. His eyes softly fluttered open, a little unfocused. Kurt's eyes often changed colors, but this morning they were a very clear, very beautiful blue, and as soon as they focused in on Blaine, they welled up with tears. Blaine gave him a small smile, shifting so that he could reach up and gently caress his cheek. Briefly, Kurt's eyes closed again, his breath hitching a little. He looked up and they locked eyes again, staying completely still, as if caught in a moment in time.

"Good morning." Blaine whispered sweetly, breaking the silence and leaning forward to gently kissing Kurt's forehead.

It was incredible to see Kurt's smile and know that it was for him. With a tiny hiccup, Kurt burrowed his head into Blaine's shoulder, looping an arm around his waist and pulling him closer. Blaine sighed contentedly and slowly ran a hand down Kurt's arm, twining their hands together. He deeply breathed in the light, familiar scent of his boyfriend (boyfriend!). It was hard to explain, but it all felt so incredibly…right. Perfect.

And yet…

"Kurt." As much as Blaine would've liked to stay in that position for the rest of his life, he knew he couldn't avoid the inevitable. "We need to talk about what happened. I know it's…probably not the most pleasant thing to discuss, but I really think it's a necessity if we're going to move forward from this point."

Kurt closed his eyes for a few seconds before nodding. "Okay. But you know I'm going to cry again."

"I know, baby. Me too." Blaine winced a little at the thought of making his angel cry again, but pushed it away. He took a deep breath. "I think we should start from the very beginning...with the fight."

"Hold on," Kurt said, pushing away a little to sit up properly. "If we're going to do this, we need to do it right. So, not here."

"Well..." Blaine sat up, frowning. "Where, then?"

Kurt shrugged. "I don't know, I just don't think we can focus properly if we're practically cuddling. How about the choir room if it's empty?"

Blaine sighed in resignation. Kurt was right, after all - if they were going to do this thing, they needed to do it properly. "Alright." he said, "Let's see if it's available."

Their hands instinctively found one another's as they left Kurt's room and, even with the impending conversation, Blaine couldn't help but smile because it was still so natural. Thankfully the room was empty and the two settled into a couch, putting enough distance between them so that they could focus.

"Okay," Kurt said slowly, staring down at his hands which were clasped in his lap. "The fight. Well, I know I said it last night but I am so so sorry."

"I'm sorry too." Blaine said, feeling his throat close up. He took another deep, steeling breath. "I - we - I...that fight never should've happened. But it did. And...why? How? It's just...not like us."

Kurt shook his head, searching for words, and Blaine noticed the tears starting to well up in his eyes. "I wish I knew, Blaine," Kurt said quietly. "I wasn't even angry at you after the first, I don't know, ten minutes? I was angry at myself for acting that way and blowing everything out of proportion. I was tired and grumpy and I took it out on you and it all just went horribly wrong and I said I'd never treat you like that or let something stupid break us up and all I know is that I love you and I'm an idiot." Kurt's voice had risen as he spoke and by the end, tears were beginning to roll down his cheeks.

"I love you too." Blaine wanted to reach forward to wipe away Kurt's tears, but stopped himself. He laughed quietly. "I'm more of an idiot than you are. I – I should've been more in control. I should never have let myself be provoked into saying the stupid things that I did. I didn't mean any of them, Kurt. And I regret every single word."

Kurt ducked his head, wiping his eyes. "What now? We both said things we regret, we both got hurt and now we're both ridiculously apologetic. Where do we go from here?"

"I think..." Blaine said slowly, reaching out to once again take Kurt's hand, "I think that we need to start over. I don't think we should forget about this, but I think we should start out with a clean slate. No looking back."

Kurt looked back up, his eyes still glistening but looking hesitantly hopeful. "I think so too. I was so afraid that you wouldn't take me back, Blaine. I was awful to you."

"I wasn't any better to you." Blaine said, shaking his head. "I was convinced that you hated me. It was...pretty much the worst feeling in the world. And...I thought it was all my fault."

Kurt grabbed Blaine's other hand, holding them both tight. "No," he said firmly. "I hated myself, never you. And this was not your fault. God, Blaine, I can't believe I made you think it was..."

"It was both of our faults." Blaine said, tightly gripping Kurt's hands back. "It's just as much my fault as it is yours. The whole thing is just...I don't even know. God, Kurt. Let's never do that again. Ever."

"Never," Kurt agreed shakily. "I love you so much, Blaine." He sniffled, looking slightly disgusted with himself. "I must look a complete wreck, I'm sorry."

Blaine smiled. "You look beautiful." He said reassuringly, giving Kurt's hands another squeeze. "And I love you. More now more than ever."

Blaine leaned forward, hesitating very briefly, before capturing Kurt's lips in a sweet, chaste kiss. The electric charge of their combined emotions was absolutely intense. And it was like being fully alive again, as if the soft touch of Kurt's mouth was all Blaine had needed to wake up from a very long, very terrible dream. In that moment, one that lasted for maybe two or three seconds, everything that had gone on the past few weeks disappeared. Blaine melted into the sensation, and it was like a ray of sunlight had suddenly decided to light up his world. He broke away first, gently pressing his forehead to Kurt's, smiling so hugely that his cheeks hurt. And a few tears escaped from his eyes, but all he could process was Kurt and how completely in love he was.

* * *

><p><strong>Kurt.<strong>

Walking to their Warbler meeting hand-in-hand with Blaine was such an amazing combination of surreal and right that Kurt took a moment to just breathe in the moment, promising himself he would never let his pride, anger or plain stupidity get in the way of this ever again. The past month he had spent without his boyfriend by his side had shown Kurt just how much Blaine meant to him, and he wasn't letting him go again. They had only officially been back together for one day but it felt like they had never been apart. After their conversation the previous day, the two boys had gone straight back to Kurt's room where they had spent the day talking, kissing, touching and reacquainting. And when they had fallen asleep together at the end of the day, Kurt knew this was how it was meant to be.

There was still some occasional awkwardness whenever something came up that they still had to discuss. And there was still definitely lingering issues with Blaine and Jeff, as well as Kurt's remaining tension with the majority of New Directions that should probably all be sorted out as soon as possible. But at least this time, Kurt knew they were going to work everything out together.

Glancing across at Blaine, Kurt realized his boyfriend was already watching him. "What?" he asked, unable to stop the smile from crossing his face because Blaine was his boyfriend again and now the word had the same effect on him as it had when they had first gotten together. It was something special again, something to be cherished because Blaine was his.

"Just thinking about how lucky I am," Blaine said, smiling back softly. Kurt's heart skipped a beat and before he could reply and tell Blaine that he was the lucky one (and he had really missed their arguments like this, especially about who loved the other more, Kurt realized), Blaine was pushing open the door to the choir room, holding it for him. "After you."

And as soon as the two entered the room, every Warbler present burst into applause.

Kurt stepped back in shock and Blaine groaned, leading Kurt over to one of the couches and shaking his head. "Yes, we get it, it took a long time, we've been idiots, we know."

"You're a day behind the times," Kurt chipped in helpfully as they sat down, immediately curling into Blaine's side and sighing happily as his boyfriend rested his head against his shoulder almost instinctively. The other Warblers slowly lost interest, returning to their previous conversations, and Kurt glanced around the room, frowning as he realized that Nick, Jeff and all of the Council members were missing. And as hesitant as Kurt was to talk about things that might start another argument, now was the perfect time to bring it up. "Blaine?"

"Hm?"

Kurt glanced down at him. "When are you going to sort things out with Jeff?"

The lack of surprise on Blaine's face indicated that he had already thought about it. "Soon, babe, I promise. I feel horrible about it and I owe them both an apology."

"So do I, to be honest," Kurt said contemplatively. "I was the one who put Jeff in that position, we easily could have broken them up if they hadn't been more sensible than us."

Blaine hummed in agreement, leaning up to kiss Kurt as if it was simply a part of his nature and Kurt allowed himself to get lost in the sensation, the simple feeling of being so connected to his boyfriend. I will never take this for granted again, Kurt promised himself before reluctantly pulling away, aware of where they were.

Jeff and Nick had arrived at some point - Kurt couldn't honestly say when - and were sitting together on one of the couches across the room. If it was deliberate or not, Kurt wasn't sure, but he still attempted to make eye contact with Jeff and offer him a smile that he hoped would say enough until they could actually talk. Apparently it did as Jeff gave him a half-smile and a nod in return before turning his attention back to his own boyfriend.

David and Thad came through the door a moment later, pouring over sheets that looked suspiciously like sheet music and Kurt frowned. "I thought we weren't doing any more performances until we found out the results?"

Blaine shrugged. "I don't know. When do you think we'll find out?"

"Soon, I hope." Kurt's stomach twisted nervously as he thought back to their performance. He could barely remember the actual singing and had no idea if he had even sung the right words, let alone hit the notes and gotten all the harmonies right. Even though he would never trade that moment for the world - getting his boyfriend back was worth so much more than what the performance could give - a part of Kurt was still bitter with Wes and David for the song they had selected. The potential for it to backfire had been enormous. Speaking of which… "Where's Wes?"

"No idea." Blaine glanced over towards the door, uninterested, before snuggling back into Kurt's shoulder. "God I've missed you." Kurt just pulled him closer, smiling softly, knowing there were no words to express what was going on in his heart right now.

So of course Wes chose that moment to walk through the door, dangerously pale and wide-eyed, drawing the attention of the entire room. "Wes?" David said, moving to his side instantly and taking his arm. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Kurt glanced at Blaine who shrugged and they stood, drawing closer to the boy who was still frozen in place. "Wes?" Thad tried. "Did something happen?"

There was still no response and the two boys glanced at each other, clearly trying to work out what to do. Just as Thad looked like he was about to say something else, Wes blinked twice, turned to David and whispered, "We got it."

David fainted.

The rest of the room erupted into sheer pandemonium. Kurt could only stare as other Warblers tackle-hugged each other, danced on table tops and, in Nick and Jeff's case, began to make out in the middle of the room. It was only when Blaine was throwing his arms around Kurt, squeezing so hard that he nearly cut off his oxygen supply and laughing, crying, something, repeating, "We did it, Kurt, we did it!" in his ear that Kurt got it.

We got it.

Kurt squealed, turning to Blaine who had already released him and was literally jumping up and down. "Oh my god, Blaine, we did it!"

Blaine's smile in response practically illuminated the room and then they were hugging properly, absolutely refusing to let go of each other even when Nelson yelled out, "GROUP HUG ON KURT AND BLAINE!" and the rest of the Warblers attacked, surrounding them with bodies who were all just as overwhelmed and thrilled and amazed as they were.

It took a little while for them to all calm down - Kurt had to scream at the Warblers to get off him because his hair was being ruined, Thad remembered to check on David and a very awkward Trent convinced Nick and Jeff that it was time to stop 'celebrating' - but finally they were all settled and sitting down with the three conscious Council member standing in front of them.

"Well, Warblers," Wes began, his voice formal again. "Today is the most amazing day in the history of the Dalton Academy Warblers. Today, if we play our cards right, marks the beginning of our journey into stardom. And there are a few people we need to recognize in particular at this point." Wes gestured to Jeff and Nick shoved him so he was standing. "Jeff Sterling for singing Breakeven, his first successful solo after auditioning… how many times now, Jeff?"

Jeff sighed. "Ten," he muttered.

Amidst the chuckles, Wes continued. "Ten failed solo auditions and he gets the one that counts, and the reviews were fantastic for his performance. Living proof to never give up on your dreams." Nick whistled and the rest of the Warblers began to clap. Blushing, Jeff sat back down, but the proud smile wasn't leaving his face any time soon.

Before Wes could speak up, Thad interrupted. "Now, I know Wes is going to skip straight over a couple of acknowledgements that he should be making. So, before he can; to Wes and David for giving the best opening number we could ever ask for as a group and proving that the Council isn't just for sitting behind a desk and making decisions." Blaine was on his feet at that, Kurt following suit with the rest of the group and enjoying the fact that he finally got to see the two normally stoic boys trying not to be embarrassed.

As they sat down, David cleared his throat. "Hold on, Blaine. You know it's your turn." Blaine sighed, standing back up but keeping a hold of Kurt's hand. "Blaine Anderson, the soloist who can completely break down in the middle of his performance and still hit every damn note. We all hate you." The room broke into laughter, Blaine rolling his eyes good-naturedly. "Seriously though, that was amazing up there." David's voice had grown serious and everybody quieted. "You were willing to get up there and put your heart and emotions on the line to give the best performance of your life, no matter what happened in the process. There were some very impressed people in the audience that day, especially when you returned to the stage not five minutes later to sing an equally emotional duet."

Blaine glanced down and tugged on his hand. Sighing, Kurt allowed himself to be pulled to his feet as Wes took over again. "Now, we know we played dirty there, giving you two a song like that with no warning of who you would be singing with. All we can say is that desperate times call for desperate measures, we know you too well, and your happiness was worth more to all of us than any performance could ever be." A lump formed in Kurt's throat and he nodded at Wes, knowing the message would get across. "You two stole the show and sealed the deal for us - I mean, I was trying not to cry when you were singing."

"Oh thank god, I wasn't the only one!" Jeff blurted out, eliciting laughter from the other boys, quite a few of which were sheepishly confessing the same thing.

And with that, the serious mood was broken. Wes began to speak about the finer details and what was to come next, but Kurt found himself tuning it out as he and Blaine sat down, Blaine curling close to him again. "We won," he whispered in Blaine's ear.

"We won in more ways than one," Blaine replied, the words almost incomprehensible as he buried his head into Kurt's shoulder, fitting perfectly as he always had.

Kurt rested his head against his boyfriend's soft curls and smiled, drinking him in.

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><p><strong><em>Awwwww…my babies are finally happy again. :')<em>**

**_I think that about sums it up. I have nothing else to say._**

**(Sarah: I cried. Just a little. That's all from me too.)**

_**Until next time, dear readers.**_

_**~SquirrelzAttack**_


	15. Repaired

**Oh hi. Yes, this story still exists ;)**

**It's been awhile, we know. At least this time you weren't left teetering on the edge of a precipice wondering what's going to happen to the boys. In fact, as far as I recall we left you with nothing more than pure fluff and warm feelings and… come to think of it, a lot of you probably thought that was the end. It kind of seemed like an end and could have been an end, but naturally Angela and I had other plans.**

**One more chapter to go after this! We can't make any promises but with the story being so close to an end, I don't think either Angela or I want to draw it out any further than necessary. Considering this ending was one of the first things we talked about when we decided on a collab and it's been worked out since the start, it's something we're pretty eager to write. **

_**(Angela: I'm banking on it being my favorite chapter of the story, to be honest.)**_

**Anyway, two important issues are cleared up for the boys so I'll just shut up and let you read on :)**

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><p><strong>Blaine.<strong>

Blaine had been secretly dreading and looking forward to this moment. He'd planned for it. He knew, roughly, what he wanted to say. But it was still hard to choke back his practically nonexistent pride. In fact, if he and Kurt hadn't gotten back together, he probably would've chickened out by this point and ran away with his tail between his legs. Part of it, he reasoned, was the fact that it was much easier to forgive people for being wrong than being _right_. But no matter what his tiny ego wanted to do, he was going to suck it up and give Jeff and Nick the apology they deserved. The major consolation was that he could halt the rapid tide of guilt, and know that he had officially (perpetually, he hoped) played this ordeal out.

"Ready?" Kurt asked, squeezing his hand reassuringly.

Swallowing, his throat dry, Blaine nodded. "They deserve an apology, especially Jeff." He said, mostly talking to himself.

"It'll be fine." Kurt pulled him forward. "Come on, babe. Let's go."

And just hearing Kurt use that little pet name was incentive enough for Blaine to take charge and push the doors of the common room open.

As there were no impromptu performances going on in the Senior Commons, Nick and Jeff were decidedly alone. Blaine could only thank his lucky stars that they weren't utilizing their alone time for more than studying and casual conversation. Neither boy looked up when the door opened, and Kurt delicately cleared his throat, giving Blaine's hand another squeeze. Nick's eyes narrowed into distrustful slits, and the intensity of his glare was enough to make Blaine want to start begging for forgiveness.

Jeff, ever the peacekeeper, simply raised his eyebrows and said, "Kurt. Blaine. Can we help you with something?"

"Ah, yes." Blaine said, trying to avoid looking at Nick. He knew he deserved every ounce of guilt he was feeling, but it still stung. "We'd like to talk to you."

"_We_?" Nick raised an eyebrow pointedly at Blaine.

"I have things to apologize for too." Kurt broke in. "Nick, I know you'd like to hate Blaine forever, but if you continue glaring at my boyfriend like that I may be forced to take action."

Nick cracked a grin, nodding his head in Kurt's direction, as if to say, _carry__on_.

Blaine took a deep breath and turned to Jeff. "Jeff, I am _so_ sorry for _everything_. Particularly when I accused you of cheating on Nick with Kurt."

"You accused him of _what_ now?" Kurt asked, frowning and crossing his arms.

"The point is," Blaine continued, flushing, "I know you would never do that, and it was wrong of me to accuse you of lying, and adultery, and disloyalty. I never should've done that. And, uh…sorry for getting physical about my anger. That was immature."

"It was." Jeff acknowledged with a tilt of his head. "But I think Nick took care of that one, so let's lay it to rest and forget about it."

Nick smirked widely and Kurt looked between them for a moment, frankly bewildered, before saying, "Okay then. My turn. Jeff, I'm sorry for making you go through with that audition. That was the worst idea in the history of man, including the latest Stimulus Package. I regret it _so_ much."

"I don't." Jeff said calmly, offering up a small smile.

"You don't?" Kurt's brow wrinkled.

"Nope."

Blaine and Kurt swapped confused glances.

"Care to elaborate?" Blaine asked.

"Well, if Kurt hadn't asked me to audition, then I would've auditioned with Nick. We would've killed our audition and everyone would've love us, and we would've gotten the duet instead of you two, because neither of _you_ would've auditioned. Adding on to the fact that we might not have gotten the contract, you two wouldn't have made up. In fact, you'd probably still be wallowing in misery at this very second. And so, I have absolutely no regrets." Jeff finished with a flourish, straightening his blazer and preening a little.

Blaine could only stare, slack-jawed, for a few moments. "That makes a lot of sense and no sense at the same time."

"Everything happens for a reason." Jeff said. "Whether you realize it at the time or not."

"You sound like a philosopher." Blaine said laughingly.

Jeff smiled. "This has been a learning experience for Nick and I as well. For one, we've learned never to act as idiotic as you two have."

"We know! We were idiots!" Kurt rolled his eyes good humouredly. "Just rub it in our faces that you're smarter than us, why don't you?"

Blaine chuckled. "In all seriousness, you guys, we never meant to jeopardize your relationship in _any_ way. I think Kurt and I can agree that we would never wish a breakup on _anyone_, especially our friends."

"You two caused quite a bit of a stir in the beginning." Jeff admitted, glancing over at Nick. "But we had a long talk, and I'm just lucky that I have such an understanding boyfriend."

"Which reminds me," Kurt said, turning to Nick, "Nick, I'm sorry for making it seem like I was interested in Jeff, even a little. That was wrong of me, and you deserve so much credit for sticking through it."

"I could never leave Jeff. I love him." Nick said simply.

Jeff smiled hugely, and there was a moment of comfortable, warm silence.

"We really are sorry for everything." Blaine said, looking down.

"I forgive you." Jeff said. "You're my friends. You make mistakes. I think we're all ready to move on. Nick?"

Nick nodded. "Agreed."

"Then that's settled. Anything else?" Jeff asked.

"Yes, actually." Blaine said, glancing over at Kurt for confirmation. Kurt nodded, and Blaine leaned down, pulling a few sheets of music out of his bag. He handed them over to Nick and Jeff, biting his lip to suppress a grin.

"What's this?" Jeff asked, flicking through the music sheets.

"Wes wants to do a celebratory number in honor of us getting the contract. He's also doubling it as a way to fine-tune our skills." Kurt explained.

"The Council offered Kurt and I the leads." Blaine continued. "But…we want to share them with you guys. If you take a look at the lyrics, the song directly applies to all four of us. Consider it part of our apology as well – a final closure of sorts."

"Wow…you sure?" Nick asked in slight awe, staring down at his music as if it were gold.

"Positive." Blaine reassured him. "I insist."

"I'm in." Nick said without a second of hesitation. He impishly looked over at Jeff, arching one eyebrow. "Babe?"

Jeff laughed and met Blaine's eyes. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

* * *

><p><strong>Kurt.<strong>

Even after being at Dalton for the past six months, Kurt couldn't think of walking into the choir room at McKinley as anything but coming home.

Except this time it was rather like a stubborn teenager who had stormed out, slinking back in and just waiting for the disappointment from the rest of the family, which was why Kurt was still standing outside the room, rehearsing his apology. A lot of serious thinking had gone down the past few days for both boys and Kurt had really had to own up to the fact that he had been a royal bitch to nearly everybody in his life. Of course he and Blaine had - and still continued to - set things right, and they had spoken with Jeff and Nick the previous day, but Kurt knew the biggest apology he owed now was to New Directions.

Apart from Mercedes and - reluctantly, only because he was family - Finn, Kurt hadn't actually spoken to any of the other New Directions members since the day he had arrived and told them that he and Blaine had broken up. Kurt _certainly_didn't count his outburst at their performance as conversation and the shame he felt at reliving that memory just cemented the fact that he needed to talk to his friends, needed to apologize. It didn't matter how much it would hurt, how much of his pride he had to put aside. He would do it.

So when the final notes of the piano struck out and Tina's voice finished reverberating around the room to the applause of the group, Kurt gently pushed open the door and walked in.

Silence fell immediately, save the sound of Tina taking her seat. Kurt couldn't look up, couldn't bear to see the judgment in their eyes even though he knew he deserved this, knew this wasn't going to be easy and _shouldn__'__t_be easy. _Come__on,__you__'__ve__got__this__planned,__just__look__up__and__tell__them__-_

"Congratulations!"

Kurt's head snapped up to see the entire group smiling at him - definitely _not_the reaction he had expected when entering the room. "I - what?"

"We heard about your performance," Rachel explained. "We're so proud of you guys, Kurt."

Kurt couldn't help the chuckle that escaped. "Oh, right, I almost forgot about that. A lot's happened in the past few days -" he trailed off, ducking his head a little. "Thank you."

He could almost sense Rachel's frown at that. "What could be more important than a performance like -"

"You and Blaine got back together, didn't you?"

Heads turned towards Quinn at that before flipping back to Kurt who couldn't hide a smile. "We did." Tina squealed and Kurt laughed before turning serious again. "That's what I came to talk to all of you about. Blaine and I have talked and we're working through everything that happened and when we did, I realized that I needed to come and do the same with you guys. Because I was completely awful to you all when Blaine and I broke up and all you were doing was trying to help and I really do feel awful and I just hope that we can -"

"Oh shut up, of course we forgive you."

Kurt snapped his mouth shut, staring at Puck who just shrugged. "You do?" Kurt asked when nobody spoke up to contradict him.

Ever the leader, Rachel stood. "Kurt, as you know, this club is not the most… functional -"

Artie snorted. "Please. I think _Vocal__Adrenaline_is more functional than us at times and we all know what they're like."

"Anyway," Rachel continued, "we've all been through our share of relationship dramas. I think we all know what it's like to have experienced relationship difficulties, breakups, fights -"

"Cheating, pregnancies and dating combinations involving pretty much everybody in the room," Mercedes finished, smirking. "We've seen it all and we know what it's like when something like that happens, whether it be firsthand or seeing it happen to everybody else. You were upset, Kurt, and yes, you took it out on us but we're kind of used to it. Heaven knows how many of us took it out on you, how many times you stuck up for us and listened to us whine. It's okay."

Kurt thought he had cried enough over the past few days - heck, over the past _month_ - but it appeared that some of those tears had saved themselves for this moment. "Thank you," he managed to whisper before giving a shocked laugh as the girls surrounded him. He had actually forgotten what it was like to receive one of their group hugs. The Warblers did it, yes, but there was something far more enveloping about this group who didn't quite know the limits of personal space - not always a good thing, but right now? Kind of perfect.

After a few minutes they all broke apart, silently and simultaneously agreeing to ignore the tears. "So," Kurt said, ready to draw attention away from himself, "how's Nationals practice going?"

That was all Rachel needed - she was off on a tangent immediately with the others occasionally chipping in with their opinions. Naturally they were going with original songs again and naturally they hadn't actually _written_any of the songs yet, even though New York was only three weeks away. But that was how they worked and Kurt loved them for it.

New Directions was always home for Kurt, always his family. But the Warblers were home as well and Kurt had found himself so attached to the clan of blazers that he couldn't imagine going back. While it would be amazing to be going to New York with New Directions, instead Kurt was embarking on the experience of a lifetime with the Warblers and he couldn't bring himself to regret the transfer, regret the change of lifestyle and all the time he had spent adjusting to the Warblers. Because Kurt had gotten a new family, a new style of performing, a _recording__contract_…

And Blaine, who Kurt knew would always stay a constant in his life. Even through a breakup from hell, through a month of not talking to each other and not dealing with their stupidity, they still found their way back to each other. And this time, Kurt wasn't letting him go.

"So, what's happening with this contract?" Mike asked and Kurt drew his attention back to the group who was watching him again. "You guys perform with this guy for a year and get an album?"

"And there's a solo spot," Kurt revealed, realizing it was information that hadn't been let slip before. "Someone's probably going to get their own EP out of it."

Rachel looked like someone had stolen her dreams from under her nose. "That would be _amazing_. Who do you think is in the running, besides yourself of course?"

Kurt had to laugh. "It's Blaine's and we all know it."

"And you don't care?"

"Blaine wants this more than _anybody_ in that group," Kurt explained. "It's his dream and always has been and none of us would ever think of standing in his way, even if we had a chance to. Yes, I'd love a chance at an EP but I'd never want it as much as my boyfriend -" and it felt _so_good to be able to say that again - "and all I want is to see him happy and doing what he loves."

Tina made an 'aww'ing noise and Kurt ducked his head, blushing a little. "You two are so adorable, I might puke," Santana said, but she was smiling. "So glad you guys aren't moping around each other anymore, you're clearly better together."

The agreements of the rest of the group made Kurt smile because they were so _right._"Actually, there was another reason I came," he said, looking back up and unable to wipe the grin off his face now because _hey,__everything__is__kind__of__awesome__now._"The Warblers are holding performance on Friday, sort of half-celebration, half trying out a number for one of our first recordings. We'd love to invite you along to watch."

"Count us in," Artie said immediately to the nods of the others. "What are you singing?"

Kurt allowed his smile to draw into a smirk. "You'll see. But you're going to love it."

* * *

><p><strong>And hopefully you all will too! The smart cookies will have worked out what they're performing by now. The… less smart cookies will find out when we post so everybody wins! <strong>

_**(Angela: Hopefully most of you fall into the category of the more smart cookies. Don't make me attack you with a Red Vine.)**_

**Ah, it's an _Edge __of __Glory _high. Such a lovely feeling when one of these chapters gets finished. **

**Final chapter coming up! But this is my final authors note (though I'll steal some spots in Angela's, of course) so, on behalf of me, I'd like to just thank you all for reading, for bearing with the long gap between updates and the angry authors notes in the first few chapters and our seemingly endless love of keeping Kurt and Blaine apart and idiotic. It's been lovely having you along for the ride. **

**Thank you!**

**Love Sarah/foraworldundeserving**


	16. Edge of Glory

**_Hello once more again for the last time, audience!_**

**_Yes, dear readers, it's true. This is the final installment of Edge of Glory. There will be no more chapters. This really is the end. And no, there is no talk whatsoever of a sequel. Just in case you were wondering._**

**(Sarah: We get asked this so many times on our stories that it's better to clear it up now. No sequel. No amount of begging will get you one either, just to warn you now.)**

**_You know, I'm sad that this story is ending, but it's also an accomplishment for me. It's my first completed story (outside of oneshots) and I couldn't have had a better time writing it, or a better partner to write it with. I can honestly say that I enjoyed writing every second of it, including the heavy angst near the beginning. And yeah, this story is over, but that frees up time to focus on bigger, better things. :)_**

**(Sarah: It's been so much fun to write =D but yes, it's time to move on and I'm looking forward to the bigger and better things Angela speaks of because she hasn't told me yet! But it's been a pleasure and thank you for reading)**

**_And so, dear readers, Sarah and I present you with one final scene. Enjoy._**

* * *

><p><strong>Kurt.<strong>

Silence.

It was strange, different after the past few days, past month even. If there hadn't been noise around him - Warbler practice, schemes, singing, crying, arguments - then it had been internal, his own mind screaming at him to just do the right thing and stop hurting himself.

The performance was over. They were successes. Blaine was his again.

Kurt took a deep breath and let it out; reveling in the silence, stillness.

His heart was at peace.

Of course it was a temporary moment - an island of calm in a sea of madness, but Kurt was used to that. No longer would he take the 'boring' for granted when he now knew what the opposite could bring. His last month had been anything but boring and all it had brought him was pain and a stupid argument over nothing, a battle of pride.

They had been so lucky. Lucky to have the friends who were willing to do anything to make them work. Lucky that neither of them never truly gave up. Lucky that they found their first real love young - if it had been anybody but the two of them then over would have meant over.

Kurt hoped that one of the many things that could come out of the experience was that he and Blaine were meant to last. He hoped so fervently with all of his heart because he _loved_ Blaine, loved him enough to torture himself for a month over the boy and Kurt could honestly say he didn't know how much longer into the future he would have continued it. Probably a long time if they hadn't gotten back together.

And now they were and now Kurt could breathe.

Closing his eyes, Kurt simply let himself feel the peace and remind himself that it could happen, that things could be this way and stay this way. Of course there was more craziness coming up with their contract and recording and even in a matter of minutes with their performance, but there was always time to just stop and remember who he was and how he had gotten there.

He was Kurt Hummel. He was a singer, a dancer, an actor, a _human_. He was flawed. He lived. He loved.

He was loved.

Kurt turned and pushed open the doors to the auditorium. The room was mostly silent with a hum of noise emanating from backstage where the rest of the Warblers were waiting. With one look around the empty seats, one reminder of where they had begun, Kurt pushed the curtain aside and slipped through to where the Warblers were waiting. He was immediately unable to suppress a smile at the chaos. Wes was bossing everybody around as usual, Nick and Jeff were off to one side talking quietly and Blaine was standing alone, staring into the distance as if the entire world was in front of him.

Kurt knew, and within a minute was wrapped up in Blaine's arms, kissing him. "It's like everything changed but it's all the same," he said, Blaine nodding. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"I do wonder," Wes remarked loudly to the air in front of him, "how we are meant to practice with our four soloists _not currently in formation_."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "And some things will never even consider changing."

They took their positions, running through the choreography one more time before Wes deemed them fit to perform, shooing the four soloists out to the stage. Just in time too as the doors burst open to admit the entirety of the New Directions including Mr. Schuester and Miss Pillsbury tagging along at the back. Kurt shot Blaine a quick look and together they made their way down the stairs to accept hugs from all of their friends.

_Their_ friends, too. Not just his but Blaine's as well - no matter that they were both Warblers and that Blaine had never been a McKinley student; New Directions had pretty much adopted him as one of their own and Kurt had never been more grateful.

"It's so good to have you guys here!" he announced loud enough for them to all hear. "And if Wes weren't backstage, he'd be clearing his throat loudly to get us back to business so…"

With that out of the way, Kurt spun and practically skipped towards the stairs and back to the still-empty stage. The New Directions quickly took seats in the front row and Kurt beamed down at them. "Well, welcome," he began before stopping, staring up at the back entrance. "Was this Wes's doing?"

"Um, no," Jeff said sheepishly. "Nick and I may have spread the word."

Kurt raised an eyebrow, watching as Dalton boys flooded into the auditorium, settling into seats with a few striking up conversations with New Directions members. Suddenly reminded of _Teenage Dream_ - the same pre-performance excitement was in the air, contagious, _thrilling_ - Kurt stepped forward and began to address them all again. "Welcome to the Warblers first performance as a signed a capella group."

He literally took a step back as the audience went wild, running into Blaine who was standing just behind him. Blaine's hand was against the small of his back and Kurt closed his eyes for a split second, taking it in, before returning his attention to the uproarious crowd. "Need I remind you Wes can hear you from backstage and always has his gavel on his person?" Immediate silence and Kurt couldn't resist laughing. "Thank you. Now, we're about to perform, as earlier stated, but there are a few things we want to say first."

Kurt turned to Nick, raising an eyebrow. If Nick had invited the rest of the Dalton boys along then Nick could be the one to address them. Luckily the boy took it in stride, making Kurt believe it was all a part of his plan after all. "On behalf of the Warblers, we would just like to thank you for your support of us. Not just now but through every impromptu performance, coming to watch us in competitions, just every kind word that has supported the arts here at Dalton. It is our privilege to now honor Dalton in our performances."

Applause met Nick's speech but it wasn't uproarious like earlier, more quiet and thoughtful. "And that comes from all of us," Kurt said before taking a deep breath to launch into his own speech. "We were only planning on having New Directions and the Warblers here so this may get a bit confusing for the others. That said, you all have eyes so you probably saw what's been going on with myself and Blaine over the past month."

"Uh, yeah!" came from the audience and Kurt half-heartedly glared at Jim from their Literature class who at least had the sense to look abashed. "Well…"

"It's alright," Kurt conceded. "We know." He turned his attention back to the focuses of his speech, smiling down at them. "Between New Directions and the Warblers, you took the brunt of our bad moods, tantrums, fighting and general broken hearted-ness. And from myself and Blaine, we just want to thank you for never giving up on us."

Blaine stepped forward, keeping his hand on Kurt's back. "Agreed. You probably won't ever know how much it means to us."

Kurt shot Blaine a glance laden with meaning but no, later. "For now," Kurt continued, beginning to grin, "we're here to celebrate. To put the past behind us and realize that sometimes life sucks but sometimes it gives us amazing things. The Warblers have an amazing opportunity ahead of them which we want to celebrate, but don't think I've forgotten that you're all off to New York soon either!" He swallowed hard, feeling the pride well up in him as he stared down at his friends. "Go and do Ohio proud. You've earned it, and this celebration is as much for you as it is for us."

No more words were necessary and Kurt turned with the other three boys to head backstage, feeling Blaine's hand slip into his. "Are you ready?" Blaine murmured to him as Nick pushed the curtain back and the lights dimmed, preparing to narrow into the spotlights necessary for their performance.

Kurt turned to smile at him, barely noticeable in the darkness but Blaine knew, just like Kurt knew he was smiling back and always would be.

"Let's do it."

* * *

><p><strong>Blaine.<strong>

The air was thickened with a certain essence. It seemed that the intense excitement was tangible, a fizzling energy, a highly contagious substance. Blaine felt as though this was a final culmination of their negativity, and the beginning of something glorious. His life had finally realigned into something close to normal, yet slowly everything was changing. His definition of normal was changing. Suddenly all of his wildest dreams – things he'd been fantasizing about since he was in grade school – were not only within grasp, but touchable, _testable_. It was absolutely _wild._

Ecstasy was a common feeling within the Warblers for now. Blaine could tell that he wasn't the only one still floating on a cloud. The dream-like happiness was having a dramatic effect of their rehearsals. Sure, they were just as tough as usual, and often even more than usual. But suddenly the Warblers were a truly unified group. It was as if they suddenly had one voice and not several. Everything seemed to come easily, naturally, but they were constantly pushing for more, for better, and they were improving their all-around talents by the day.

And here they were, the fruits of their elbow grease fully paid off.

"Everyone's here? No one's still on stage showing off?" Wes asked, standing at the head of the group with Thad and David. "Everyone's ready to go show 'em exactly what we're made of?"

Near the back, Cameron let out a rowdy whoop of celebration and confidence, an empowering cry that was echoed throughout. Blaine couldn't resist joining in, yelling and stamping his approval. As much as he both liked and respected New Directions, he was secretly glad that the Warblers had a chance to prove themselves. He was sure that the McKinley Glee club was about to get a serious run for their money.

"Let's get back out there, then!" Wes called over the ongoing chaotic cheers. "Come on!"

Incredibly, the unruly group managed to fall silent as they filed onto the stage and slipped into formation. Blaine gently took Kurt's hand and squeezed it lightly, reassuringly. Kurt gave a tiny squeeze back, turning to give his boyfriend a small smile. And then, as the strong backing vocals picked up, Kurt stepped forward to the front, the spotlight gleaming on his face. The light seemed to be attracted to him, hitting at just the right angle to make Kurt's porcelain skin dazzle. _He really is beautiful,_ Blaine thought a little dreamily.

Then, with the expert precision of a seasoned performer, Kurt opened his mouth and snatched up the first line for his own.

_"There ain't a reason you and me should be alone_

_Tonight, yeah baby,_

_Tonight, yeah baby,"_

Blaine slipped out of place and joined Kurt at the front, automatically taking the taller boy's hand. The action warmed him, and he jumped headfirst into his line, smiling down at New Directions.

_"I got a reason that you're who should take me home tonight…"_

Kurt and Blaine had mutually agreed and forced a verse upon Nick and Jeff. Blaine rather that those two fully deserved it and, despite their former protests, they wanted a chance to show off. Jeff grabbed Nick's hands and pulled him up in front of Kurt and Blaine, singing the lines directly to his boyfriend.

_"I need a man who thinks it's right when it's so wrong,_

_Tonight, yeah baby_

_Tonight, yeah baby_

_Right on the limb is where we know_

_We both belong tonight,"_

It still nagged at Blaine that he and Kurt's dispute had basically cheated Nick of a solo at the performance. It still stung a little that they'd almost torn Nick and Jeff apart when they were so obviously in love. Somehow, Nick had managed to tear his eyes away from Jeff to wink charmingly at the audience, still keeping a tight grip on the other boy's hands. His voice was absolutely killer, smooth and self-assured, reaching out and stealing the limelight for a few glorious seconds. Blaine made a quick promise to himself to have a word with Wes about assuring that Nick got a solo on the EP.

"It's hard to feel the rush,

To brush the dangerous,

I wanna run right to, to the edge with you,

Where we can both fall far in love!"

As they burst into the chorus, swelling into a wonderfully over-exuberant crescendo, the Warblers broke out of formation, spreading throughout the stage. In an unusual stroke of brilliance, Wes had ordered David to design the choreography to look completely impromptu. Organized chaos, he had said. It worked somehow, perhaps because they had so much experience with impromptu, and their voices still reached out and melded together. The harmonies and backing and beat-boxing blended into a flawlessly unified sound that reverberated through the air.

_"I'm on the edge of glory,_

_And I'm hanging on a moment of truth!_

_I'm on the edge of glory,_

_And I'm hanging on a moment with you!_

_I'm on the edge with you!"_

Kurt and Blaine dove into the next line together while Nick and Jeff danced and twirled around them in circles. Blaine's eyes closed of their own accord, and it was one of those times where the music seemed to be resonating from his very being.

_"Put on your shades, 'cause I'll be dancing in the flames,_

_Tonight, yeah baby,_

_Tonight, yeah baby,"_

The four of them switched positions, Nick and Jeff on the vocals, and Blaine tugged Kurt into a spin and a twirl, his ecstatic laughter lost in the sounds of the music.

_"It isn't hell if everybody knows my name,_

_Tonight_

_Alright, alright!"_

Blaine felt as though his heart was swelling in his chest, liable to burst at any time. He was suddenly reliving all of the blessings in his life, and prematurely thanking all those yet to come.

So, maybe the Warblers weren't going anywhere in terms of show choir. Maybe they wouldn't win Nationals in New York. But none of that mattered anymore, because they had the potential to go so much further. And maybe they _still_ wouldn't get anywhere, but this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that they weren't about to miss. Their show choir door had closed. As karma would have it, in the closing of one door a plethora of others suddenly opened.

_"I'm on the edge of glory,_

_And I'm hanging on a moment of truth!_

_Out on the edge of glory,_

_I'm hanging on a moment with you!"_

And, as they finished out the song, their voices lifting up and filling the entire room to its breaking point, Blaine knew that things were about to get _very_ interesting. This was their first shot. It was _only_ their first shot. It was a chance they'd been searching for. And no one could say what would come after. It was the beginning of a wild adventure. The beginning of an overabundance of wonderful experiences. The beginning of a possible career in something they loved.

_"I'm on the edge, the edge, the edge, the edge,_

_The edge, the edge, the edge,_

_I'm on the edge of glory,_

_And I'm hanging on a moment with you!_

_I'm on the edge with you!"_

It was the beginning of the rest of their lives.

* * *

><p><em><strong>I hope you've enjoyed this story, and I hope that you stuck with Klaine until the end.<strong>_

_**Until next time, audience.**_

_**~SquirrelzAttack and**_** Sarah/foraworldundeserving**


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